Mandatory water labelling for white goods has been warmly welcomed, but elsewhere the Government’s long awaited response to its 2019 consultation on personal water use has been greeted with disappointment by many in the water sector.
In a statement to Parliament on 1 July on measures to support water efficiency in homes, environment secretary George Eustice said the Government would:
• “ask water companies to develop a consistent approach to address leakage on customers’ own pipes, as, over the last ten years around 25% of total leakage has been from customer supply pipes;
• “make regulations to introduce a mandatory water efficiency label to inform consumers and encourage the purchase of more water efficient products for both domestic and business use. We will consider the potential to achieve energy savings, as well as further water savings, and explore how these can be achieved in a way that minimises the impact on consumers;
• “write to local authorities to encourage them to adopt the optional minimum building standard of 110 litres per person per day in all new builds where there is a clear local need, such as in water stressed areas; and
• “in 2022 develop a roadmap towards greater water efficiency in new developments and retrofits, including the exploration of revised building regulations and how the development of new technologies can contribute to meeting these standards. We will ensure that the underlying legislation can, where appropriate, accommodate any potential future expansion of rainwater harvesting, water re-use and storage options.”
Eustice said that, teamed with water company leakage reduction commitments (down 16% by 2025 and down 50% from 2017/18 levels by 2050, saving up to 1,400 mega litres of water per day) and the new action plan to reduce business water use (currently 20% of the total water put into public supply), these measures “will support the delivery of the ambitions set out in the National Framework to reduce personal water consumption to 110 litres per person per day by 2050, without affecting the quality of life and the enjoyment of water used by households”.
Responding, many cheered the introduction of mandatory water labelling. For instance, Nathan Richardson, Waterwise head of strategy and policy, said: “We welcome the commitment to introduce a mandatory water efficiency label on domestic and business water-using products. Research has shown this is the single most cost-effective policy measure the government can take to help reduce water consumption.”
Utility service provider, Skewb, commented: “Water labelling has received massive support, both in the consultation itself and through a vast coalition of organisations that have campaigned to introduce labelling. Recent studies have shown that this policy change alone could save householders £34bn on their water and energy bills over 25 years, that’s £40 per householder per year.”
However, some pointed out that the labelling proposal was not optimal. Water UK’s policy director, Stuart Colville, while pleased to see the label, said: “By introducing labels in isolation the Government have missed an important opportunity. Labels need to be coupled with tighter building regulations to ensure new homes are water efficient, as well as basic minimum standards for appliances to stop them flushing precious supplies down the drain. Those additional changes are the minimum needed to have the impact we need on unnecessary water use; otherwise, we will see continued risks for customers and hard-pressed rivers.”
Anglian Water’s head of public affairs, Daniel Johns, tweeted that while the introduction of a water label was “great to see – the number one most impactful thing Government can do” that “Today's statement is a 3-legged stool with two legs missing.” He explained: “A label without min product standards massively undermines water savings. Building regulations at 110l not good enough & writing to councils won't help. Almost all in AW region already apply 110l. Fittings-based approach to Part G is a no brainer…Sadly another example of govt agreeing an important environmental target – PCC of 110l by 2050 – but not the policies needed to achieve it.”
Meanwhile, a National Infrastructure Commission spokesperson said: “Highlighting the water usage of new products will only work with a corresponding public engagement campaign, which would also build support for compulsory water metering which the Commission believes is vital to controlling water usage to the degree needed for the longer term.”
There was some public welcome for the commitment to develop a roadmap on building regulations, though privately some commented the further delay to 2022 was unwelcome given the existing two-year wait for a government response.
Others will be disappointed with the lack of action on metering. Only days before the announcement (25 June) shadow environment secretary Luke Pollard had posed a written question: “To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will lift the restrictions on universal metering outside water stressed areas.”
National Energy Action’s Jess Cook tweeted a thread which culminated with the comment: “For a two year wait on something with masses of potential to deliver solutions for #WaterScarcity #ClimateChange and #SurfaceWaterFlooding and #WaterPoverty, this is quite a disappointing outcome. Especially when a number of these roadmap solutions were in the consultation!”
In the 2019 consultation, which ran for 12 weeks from 19 July to 11 October, Defra consulted on eight policy measures to reduce personal water consumption: building regulations; water efficiency labelling; metering; smart metering; incentives; rainwater harvesting and water reuse; supply pipe leakage; and communications and behavioural change.
Last week, Defra also published summary of consultation responses and responses to its call for evidence.
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