Archived press release

Government report on water conservation

21 August 1995

Friends of the Earth accused the Government of letting the water companies off the hook following the publication this morning of the long awaited response to the 1992 consultation paper "Using Water Wisely"[1]. The report recognizes that "there is no incentive for the [water] companies to actively promote economy in the use of water[p2]" but fails to propose any effective policy to address the current crisis.

Friends of the Earth Industry and Pollution campaigner Roger Lilley said today:

"The three year delay demonstrates the Government's failure to tackle the water problem with the urgency it deserves. Their document perpetuates the water company myth that the root of the problem is the irresponsible customer. The report fails to address the current crisis; it ignores the crucial fact that many of the current shortages are in areas of high rainfall rather than the traditionally dry southeast.

It is not enough to tell companies to leaflet consumers with handy-hints about saving water. The root of the problem is the water companies themselves and the Government has missed the opportunity to regulate an industry which has mismanaged an invaluable national asset. By failing to set mandatory targets the Government has ignored the advice of its own advisors, the National Rivers Authority."

In 1992 FOE called for a radical change to the regulation of the privatised water companies and said that a national programme of domestic metering would not prevent rivers being sucked dry or ensure future water supplies[2]. FOE is campaigning for water companies to be placed under a legal duty to conserve water and use it efficiently themselves.

The Government has failed to propose other key changes in policy including:

Statutory targets for water companies to reduce leakage loss from mains supplies

Statutory targets for water companies to reduce water consumption.

An overhaul of the system of granting abstraction license with provision for regular review and revocation with no compensation

A public register for the results of abstraction monitoring

Water audits by industry and public authorities as a condition for the granting or renewal of abstraction licenses and discharge consents.

A review of planning policy to ensure that new development is compatible with adequate long-term water supplies.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

[1] Department of the Environment August 1995 "Water Conservation: Government Action"

[2] As evidenced by the Parliamentary Office and Science and Technology report "Dealing with Drought" February 1993 p.66: for the Thames region the report predicts that current (1990) demand will grow from 4024 million litres(Ml/d) per day to 4431 in 2002. Of this figure it predicts that 670 Ml/d could be saved by leakage control against only 208 Ml/d by domestic metering.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust