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Foe welcomes prescott's three week challenge to water industry
19 May 1997
A dramatic challenge was laid before Britain's water supply companies today by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. Mr Prescott's tough presentation was backed by stern and thinly-veiled warnings from the Head of the Government's Environment Agency that if action did not follow, new enforcement powers could be introduced.
Mr Prescott's proposals include new mandatory leakage control targets, proposals for water firms to invest more in water efficiency and a full review of abstraction licences to assess the environmental impact of current water supply practices. The Deputy Prime Minister told the companies that they had three weeks to say what they would do to meet the Government's new challenges, and that if by the autumn their performance was unsatisfactory, new regulatory powers might be introduced.
Tony Juniper, Campaigns Director of Friends of the Earth, said
"This is a tough and substantial start to what we hope will be a complete transformation of the UK water industry with environmental protection at the heart of measures to meet customers needs. Instead of blaming climate change and drought for our present water crisis, the water industry should be making long term plans to ensure that our water is not wasted. If that hits profits, so be it."
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] FOE today published a water conservation plan showing how water companies could save 30 per cent of current water use.
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Dec 2008
