Why do we need more water?
The South East of England is the driest and most densely populated area in the UK and the limited water resources are under pressure from social and environmental changes.
The changes influencing this need for more water are lifestyle, climate change, rapid housing growth and new laws to protect the environment. We need to plan ahead to make better use of existing sources and find new sources to ensure there is enough water to meet the demands of both existing and new customers. If we do nothing, there will be a shortfall in available water by 2015/16.
Lifestyle
The amount of water we use each day has risen dramatically as we take more showers and baths, and use modern appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers.
We are also increasingly living in smaller households, which use more water per person than larger households, and we all have a longer life expectancy. A growing interest in gardening has also seen an increase in demand for water, especially during the summer months.
As a nation we are using about 10 litres more water a day than a decade ago – approximately 160 litres a day per person.
Climate Change
Climate Change is a global issue which affects us all. In the UK there are clear signs it is having an impact on the way rain falls, leading to wetter winters and drier summers. The Met Office declared 2006 as the warmest year in the UK since records began. These higher temperatures increase our water consumption and evaporation from surface water reserves.
South East Water is working to adapt to the demands of climate change, which will involve the need to capture more winter rainfall for use in the summer, and using available supplies more wisely.
Housing Growth
The South East of England is growing rapidly and the demand for housing has never been greater. For example, Ashford, in Kent, is a chosen growth area through the Sustainable Communities Plan, which will lead to a 25% increase in the domestic population supplied in the county.
Wherever new homes are built in our supply area, South East Water has a statutory duty to plan ahead to secure more water supplies to support this growth in population.
Environmental Protection
In the South East region we rely heavily on water from the ground – some 75% of the water supplied by South East Water is abstracted from chalk and sandstone aquifers.
It is likely that the need to further protect and improve our environment will mean that we will have to abstract less water from the ground in future. This is largely as a result of reviews being carried out under new European legislation, such as the Habitats Directive and the Water Framework Directive.