UK faces a high level of water security challenge, BSI reports

The UK has scored ‘high’ in an index ranking water insecurity.

The BSI Water Security and Solutions Indicator 2024 brings together two elements: the first focusing on the challenge (drawing on publicly available data on water availability, water use, water risk and water wastage); and the second on solutions, with a specific focus on the infrastructure in place and on public attitudes, as gathered from a poll of 9,000 people in nine countries.

The lower the challenge score, the lower the level of water security risk for that country. The lower the solutions score, the fewest barriers to solutions and progress for that country – i.e. the better placed the country is to implement the solutions that can help address the challenge.

The UK scores ‘high’ on both elements and overall (see table). The report explains: “The UK has one of the lowest levels of renewable water resources available per capita and coupled with a relatively low price of water, high levels of personal consumption and of leakage, this results in a relatively high overall Index score.

“Plans to reduce consumption and leakage and to trial pricing tariffs have the potential to drive progress, however it is notable that the public appear to have limited confidence that the UK is taking positive action to reduce water wastage. They are also sceptical that there is a suitable plan for water security in place, or that the country has the necessary infrastructure in place. The UK also scores relatively poorly when it comes to having sufficient financing in place to deal with water management challenges.”

China, India and the US face the highest level of water security challenge, and showed limited progress towards solutions.

Almost a third of countries performed worse on water security than they did in 2023, while 44% showed no change. Just nine of 41 countries received improved ratings.