Waterwise calls for the largest water users to report on their efficiency efforts

The country’s biggest water users should be required to produce reports on their efforts to reduce water consumption, according to water efficiency champion Waterwise.

The top 1% of users, who between them account for half of all the water consumed by business customers (around 1500Ml/d), should report at least every three years, Waterwise said, to support the government to meet the Environment Act target to cut business water use by 9% by 2038.

This was one of six policy asks from Waterwise to the incoming UK government. Other new policies suggested by the group were: for all buildings to have rapid leak detection systems or smart meters, and for water efficiency to be included in Energy Performance Certificates.

Elsewhere, Waterwise called for existing key water-saving policies to be urgently progressed: the mandatory product water efficiency label; the review of water standards in Building Regulations; and the smart water meter rollout.