Memorandum submitted by Waterwise
INTRODUCTION
waterwise is a new body, set up on 1st September
with a five-year life, to increase water efficiency. We are core
funded by the water industry but are not-for-profit, with an independent
board.
waterwise's aim is to develop a model framework
for sustained water efficiency in the UK for all mains use of
water and to reverse the upward trend in per capita consumption
by 2010, underpinned by a robust evidence base demonstrating the
social, economic and environmental benefits of water efficiency.
By the end of our five year-life, we are aiming for there to be
large-scale water efficiency projects alongside new resource developments,
for water efficiency to be embedded within the built environment,
and for industry to be using water efficient business solutions.
waterwise will promote water efficiency though co-ordination of
existing initiatives and through the development of collaborative
projects.
The UK has less water available per capita than
any other European country except Belgium and Cyprus—and
water is already a scarce resource in some parts of the UK. With
environmental and social developments certain to add to the pressure
on the water supply network, and concerns about affordability,
water efficiency continues to rise up the agenda.
waterwise has been welcomed by the government,
the water industry and regulators, and sits on Elliot Morley's
Water Saving Group.
A. THE CODE
FOR SUSTAINABLE
BUILDINGS
1. Can a voluntary Code possibly deliver
the degree of change needed in the building industry to achieve
well-designed, energy efficient sustainable buildings which have
minimal impact on the local environment?
Mandatory measures are generally accepted to
steer the market more quickly in the desired direction than voluntary
ones. That said, we welcome the government's 2005 manifesto commitment
that from April 2006 all new homes receiving government funding
will meet the new code, and that the government will encourage
local authorities to apply similar standards to private homes.
For the DPM's Sustainable Communities to be genuinely sustainable,
it is essential that the code contains strong commitments on water
efficiency as well as energy efficiency—as Elliot Morley
said when he launched the Water Saving Group, "The uncomfortable
reality is that we can no longer assume unlimited supplies of
water in all circumstances". If it is robust, we expect the
code to drive sustainable design and development—as it has
been said the DPM's 60k housing commitment has been—and
we would welcome its developoment into a mandatory code in the
future.
2. Is the Government doing enough to promote
the Code with the industry and the general public, ahead of its
imminent introduction in early 2006?
The government's stated intent is that builders
using the code will want to differentiate themselves in the market
place as "builders of quality", and that properties
built to the code should be perceived by consumers as "better
built with lower running costs". We are concerned that the
content of the code has not yet seen the light of day, and that
this in turn has hindered its promotion to the above ends.We are
also concerned that there may not be universal Ministerial commitment
across Government to ensuring the code is genuinely sustainable.
Discussions with industry should reach beyond the homebuilders
to the water industry and other suppliers.
3. Should the Government be introducing fiscal
measures to reward higher building quality and greater environmental
performance?
A number of possible fiscal measures were suggested
by the Sustainable Buildings Task Group and these merit further
investigation, however we would like to see the Government primarily
focussing on implementing the other elements of the Task Groups
recommendations such as amending the Building Regulations to include
water efficiency.
A Water Efficiency Commitment similar to the
Energy Efficiency Commitment has been suggested by some as a vehicle
to incentivise water efficiency. We would not be opposed to this,
but suggest that an evidence base to support the economic, environmental
and social benefits of water efficiency is necessary before fiscal
measures are taken forward, to ensure value for money.
There are some existing measures in place that
drive water efficiency such as the Enhanced Capital Allowance
scheme, linked to the Water Technology List, however these do
not influence individual behaviour and the use of VAT discounts
on water efficient products should be examined.
B. SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITIES: HOMES
FOR ALL?
4. Does the ODPM Five Year Plan, Sustainable
Communities: Homes for All demonstrate a greater recognition of,
and greater commitment of tackling, the impact of increased house
building on the environment or does it merely pay lip service
to it?
The ODPM Five Year Plan is to be congratulated
for its environmental focus, including commitments on both broad
direction and specific targets. However, the test will be whether
these commitments are honoured—for example, paragraph 8.28
of the Five Year Plan, which states "we will explore the
scope for incorporating water conservation into building regulations
and consult on detailed proposals in 2005". In the light
of rising per capita consumption, and pressures on supply from
climate change and new build, it is essential that existing homes
are maintained to water efficiency standards as well as new build.
We await with interest the government's proposals on incorporating
water conservation into Building Regulations, alongside the development
of the code for new build. We would like to see a target for the
water efficiency of each household contained in the review of
the Building Regulations.
One of the clear recommendations of the Sustainable
Buildings Task Group was that part G of the Building Regulations
should be amended to include water efficiency. We are concerned
that there has been no progress on this issue and that ODPM appears
reluctant to carry out a clear recommendation from an expert group
set up by Ministers from DTI, Defra and ODPM.
5. To what extent does the Five Year Plan
address the environmental implications of the geographical distribution
of demolition versus new build?
No comment.
C. LPS2020
6. The Government has consulted on the new
construction standard for dwellings (LPS2020). On the basis of
that consultation is it possible to determine whether the new
standard will be a positive force for change and add value to
the construction process?
We cannot comment as we were not aware of this
consultation.
D. INFRASTRUCTURE
7. Is the Government doing enough to secure
sufficient funds for the timely provision of infrastructure, such
as transport links, schools and hospitals in the four growth areas?
It is good that the Government is taking a high
level view of development in the Growth Areas and considering
strategic infrastructure provision.
With regard to water infrastructure, in general
there has been a lot of report writing on both supply and demand
issues the main problem is a lack of action. There is a need for
better dissemination and developing an action plan based on the
research, there is a need for more collaborative projects. At
a technical level there is a need to address the physical and
social actions needed at an early stage, eg laying supply pipes
under pavements and verges rather than roads, fully integrating
SUDS into developments, building large scale greywater reuse,
and increasing water efficiency as an integral part of the infrastructure.
These things are not happening to any significant degree. There
are good international examples where planning, legislation and
incentivisation has led to the development of highly efficient
infrastructure.
The work on demand-side measures requires both
a better understanding of how and why people use water and the
development of legislative and technical tools to promote efficiency.
8. Are the water companies doing enough to
secure the supply of water resources to the four Growth Areas?
And is concern about security of water supply, in the South East
of England in particular, a valid one or simply a knee jerk reaction
to a few hot, dry summers?
Concern about the security of water supply in
the UK, in the South East of England in particular, is valid.
— Per capita demand for water has risen
by about 1% a year since the 1930s.
— Climate change is leading to greater
uncertainty in rainfall patterns, which will probably result in
more droughts and floods.
— New development and population growth
is being predicted and even promoted, in the areas of highest
water stress.
The timescale for problems to emerge is now.
The current drought in the south east shows how unusual rainfall
patterns, a lack of headroom in supply and a high demand can all
lead to shortages. If the same rainfall pattern is repeated this
winter, there will be more severe shortages next year.
There is a statutory requirement on water companies
to supply water and they will fulfil this duty for the new growth
areas, as there are always engineering solutions to water shortages.
However, as Elliot Morley said when he launched the Water Saving
Group, "The uncomfortable reality is that we can no longer
assume unlimited supplies of water in all circumstances".
What this will mean is that unless there is sufficient progress
on legislation, planning and infrastructure development, water
will be supplied to the new homes, but unsustainably.
Projections of water supply and demand are difficult
to make as they depend on a large number of factors. However,
the key factors are changes in per capita demand, changes in population
and industry, the development of new supply, and climate change.
waterwise supports the government's twin-track
approach to supply and demand whereby demand management is pursued
alongside new supply measures such as reservoirs.
waterwise believes that the water companies
should increase their action on demand-side measures and the promotion
of water effieicncy, but waterwise itself was set up by the water
industry to help them do this.
9. Is there sufficient effort being made
by Government, the Environment Agency and water companies to educate
people about water efficiency?
The water industry already carries out water
efficiency promotion and is statutorily required to do so. However,
in the past it has been difficult to secure funding for large
scale water efficiency projects. The water industry has set up
and funded waterwise—as an independent organisation—to
build the evidence base needed for large-scale water efficiency
in this country. There is currently no standardised measurement
for water companies of their water efficiency messages and outcomes,
and no large-scale evidence base to support an economic case for
a step change in water efficiency—this forms part of waterwise's
workplan, and one of the workstreams of Elliot Morley's Water
Saving Group on which waterwise sits.
November 2005
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