Written evidence submitted by Waterwise
SUMMARY
Water efficiency has an important role to play in
tackling and adapting to climate change, and developing the low-carbon
and green economy, but is routinely sidelined from programmes
and policies in both these areas.
The Green Investment Bank provides a key opportunity
to include water efficiency measures in new green financial products
through the Green investment Bank, as well as to help stimulate
innovative projects and programmes to mainstream water efficiency
in homes, buildings and workplaces across the UK, both within
the water sector and more widely.
BULK OF
EVIDENCE
Overview of the importance of water efficiency
to the UK economy and society
1. Water efficiency - wasting less water - is
an essential part both of adapting to climate change and building
resilience into our systems, and tackling climate change. Water
efficiency is an economic, social and environmental opportunity
- it has an important role to play in the green economy, the big
society and safeguarding the environment. It can also help reduce
the deficit.
Adapting and building resilience
2. Water efficiency is vital in adapting to the
climate change we are already seeing and cannot avoid, despite
action now - underpinning the statutory National Adaptation Programme
for England. Both hot and cold water efficiency measures are important
even once the electricity grid is fully decarbonised, because
there can be no such thing as a zero water house, and because
gas, on which there is a huge reliance for water heating, cannot
be fully decarbonised.
3. In the last few years the UK has seen widespread
drought and devastating floods, and both of these have led to
water supply challenges in homes. The UK Climate Impact Projections
published in 2009 show greater unpredictability in rainfall and
longer, drier summers in coming decades. Some areas of England
are already classified by the Environment Agency as seriously
water-stressed. Even Scotland and Wales have experienced pockets
of drought or water stress in recent years. And it is known that
in coming decades there will be more people and less water in
the UK, so less water will need to go further. There is already
an increase in single-person households, which use more water
per person, and water companies are predicting increases in outdoor
watering and personal washing. Population growth will be larger
in already water-stressed areas like South East England.
4. So homes, buildings and people will need to
be water-efficient: and not just new homes, but existing homes,
because two thirds of the UK's 2050 homes have already been built.
Water efficiency should play a central role in any organisation's
climate change adaptation strategy - alongside flood risk management
- because every section of the economy is dependent on water.
Drought risk management for homes and communities is essential
alongside flood risk management. These measures will build resilience
to climate change impacts.
Tackling climate change
5. Wasting less water in homes and businesses
can help meet the UK's legally binding goals of a reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions of 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. Heating
water in homes for cooking, personal washing and cleaning produces
5% of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions and a quarter of CO2
emissions from homes - it is the second biggest use of energy
in homes, after space heating, and before gadgets and appliances.
So wasting less hot water in homes - through more efficient fixtures
and fittings and more efficient use of hot water from taps and
showers by people - can immediately impact on carbon targets.
Wasting less hot and cold water will reduce the carbon footprint
of the water industry, which would as a result need to pump and
treat less water and wastewater (in turn making the sector more
resilient to climate change). The water industry produces 1% of
total UK greenhouse gas emissions, with Scottish Water Scotland's
largest user of electricity. Wasting less hot and cold water will
tie in with the Coalition Government's commitment to use a wide
range of levers to cut carbon emissions, decarbonise the economy
and support the creation of new green jobs and technologies.
Opportunity
6. Water efficiency is an opportunity - economic,
environmental and social.
7. Most UK businesses, schools, hospitals and
other public sector buildings are metered for water. This means
that if they waste less water - through "domestic" processes
such as taps, toilets, urinals and showers, and dishwashers and
washing machines, as well as in industrial processes such as cleaning
and cooling, they will see immediate reductions in their water
bills. For example, many workplaces still have urinals which flush
constantly, but there are now UK-manufactured products which flush
only when a sensor is triggered, or less frequently, or not at
all. Wasting less hot water in workplaces would also cut energy
bills.
8. In its most recent annual report on government
progress in meeting its SOGE (Sustainable Operations on the Government
Estate) targets (between 2006 and 2009), the soon-to-be-abolished
Sustainable Development Commission calculates that government
saved £25.5 million in water bills through water efficiency
measures between 2006 and 2009, including £13 million
in 2008-09. It also suggests that a £3 million SALIX
(spend-to-save) fund for the public sector would yield 20% water
savings and payback within one year, and that a further 10% reduction
in water use would yield a further annual £5 million
in savings. As the SDC points out, many savings would be enjoyed
year-on-year and so the earlier they can be achieved, the earlier
savings can start to be made. The document also shows that MOD
is by far the biggest water user in government - accounting for
67% of consumption - where financial savings from water efficiency
could free up large amounts for frontline spending.
9. The UK produces a wide range of water-efficient
equipment for domestic and non-domestic use - these products are
innovative and increasingly "aspirational". Targeted
investment and support as part of the green economy, linked with
public sector procurement standards, could develop this manufacturing
sector through a mass market approach. This could mirror the development
of mobile phones which began as an expensive "niche"
product but are now cheaper and mainstream. Product standards
for homes and businesses, and partnerships with retailers, manufacturers
and the third sector would make products which waste less water
cheaper for consumers.
10. Including water in energy retrofitting programmes
would increase the number of green service jobs. The Coalition
Government's Green Deal will retrofit homes for energy efficiency
at an upfront cost of thousands of pounds - a water retrofit of
taps, toilets and showers could be included for an additional
£40, and for homes metered for both water and energy would
payback within one year. Households will save money through wasting
less water. Waterwise research shows that the average UK household
could save up to £100 a year on their energy bills from wasting
less hot water in baths, showers and taps - £76 a year just
by replacing a daily bath with a three-minute shower. This would
help deliver the Coalition Government's commitment to increase
households' control over their energy costs. A third of homes
in England and a quarter in Wales are already metered for water,
and half will be by 2015—through wasting less water those
homes will also see an immediate reduction in their water bills.
Opportunity missed
11. To date, programmes and policies undertaken
by both the Coalition Government and the previous administration
to tackle climate change, adapt to it, and develop the low-carbon
and green economies are energy-heavy and do not reflect or include
the important role of water efficiency.
12. UK plans to deliver the low carbon and green
economy need to include water. Water efficiency can help make
the UK more attractive to investment, reduce carbon emissions
and increase green jobs. Water efficiency did not feature in the
previous government's strategy for a low carbon economy, nor is
it reflected within the framework of carbon budgeting, and this
omission shows signs to date of being repeated by the Coalition
Government.
13. Including water efficiency will further stimulate
growth and employment. Developing the UK manufacturing base for
water-efficient products should be an essential part of the Coalition
Government's sustainable growth and enterprise strategy. There
is a strong manufacturing base in the UK for these products, but
as they are not included in targeted green growth plans there
are already cases of new products going out of the UK to seek
investment. Including water efficiency in energy retrofitting
programmes will increase the number of green service jobs. This
could lead to developing new infrastructures, social innovation,
and building on regional and national examples of good practice
to deliver water efficiency at the UK level.
14. Within regional sustainability clusters -
covering water, energy and waste - businesses, higher education
institutions and research organisations across the public or private
sector could work together to implement innovative economic development
projects. With government support, these could make regional and
local economies more competitive, creating jobs and attracting
investment.
15. A Green Investment Bank which the Coalition
Government intends to "create green financial products to
provide individuals with opportunities to invest in the infrastructure
needed to support the new green economy" is an important
opportunity to mainstream water efficiency in the low carbon and
green economy, through linking the green financial products with
water efficiency measures in homes and buildings, and stimulating
innovation.
Proposal to include water efficiency in the remit
of a Green Investment Bank
16. Waterwise would therefore like to see the
Green Investment Bank include water efficiency measures in the
new green financial products it develops from homes and businesses,
and for innovation in water efficiency to be named as a recognised,
supported activity under other GIB programmes and measures.
8 October 2010
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