Jargon buster
Aquifer
An underground body of porous rock or soil from which water can be abstracted.
Abstraction
The extraction of certain amounts of water from rivers, lakes, estuaries or underground rocks or soil, which is licenced and permitted by the Environment Agency.
Booster station
A pumping station to move water around a water company's water distribution system or to raise the pressure in the system.
Consumption per household
The average amount of water used by a household each day.
Desalination
The removal of salt from seawater or brackish water to produce drinking water.
Drought Management Plan
A contingency plan required by law that companies must produce to outline how they will deal with various types of water shortages.
Geology
The composition of the earth.
Groundwater
Water contained within underground rocks or soil.
Leakage
The water which leaks out of a water company's underground pipes, or the private water supply pipes which are owned by customers.
In-direct potable re-use
Transfer of treated wastewater to mix with other river or lake water from where it is later abstracted and treated to turn it into drinking water.
Per capita consumption (pcc)
The average amount of water used by a person every day.
Service reservoir
A concrete or steel storage tank used by water companies to store drinking water, from which supplies are then sent to customers around its distribution system.
Source station
A pumping station and/or treatment works which supplies treated drinking water from a specific water supply source.
Surplus groundwater resources
Water which is stored within underground rocks or soil, which is not currently needed for existing drinking water supplies, industrial processes or irrigation.
Surplus water reserves
Water in streams, lakes or estuaries which is not currently needed for existing drinking water supplies, industrial processes or irrigation.
Sustainable Communities Plan
The Sustainable Communities Plan (Sustainable Communities: Building for the future), launched on 5 February 2003, sets out a long-term programme of action for delivering sustainable communities in both urban and rural areas.
Topography
The elevation of the ground (usually in metres above sea level), and the arrangement of physical features on the ground such as streams and roads.
Treatment works
A processing site used by a water company to take water from a river or underground source, and makes it safe to drink.
Water Act, 2003
An Act of Parliament passed in 2003 that governs the operation and regulation of water companies in the UK.
Water Industry Act, 1991
An Act of Parliament passed in 1991 that governs the operation and regulation of water companies in the UK.
Water Resources Plan
A plan required by law that water companies must produce to show how they intend to make use of water resources and meet the needs of consumers over the next 25 years.
Winter storage reservoir
An area of ground used for the storage of surplus river water in the winter for release in dry periods either into rivers to maintain healthy flows, and/or to a water treatment works for treatment into drinking water.