by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Even notoriously wet and rainy England will face severe water shortages as it feels the bite of climate change and a growing population; so the message of the Environment Agency as it backs calls for widespread water metering and water efficiency measures.
However, it has got much less to do with climate change or global warming that we have water shortages but everything to do with the fact that in many areas, especially around the towns and cities, the population pressure, and pressure from businesses, including industry, is way too high.
The agency has published its response to the independent review of water pricing and metering that was undertaken by Anna Walker, whoever she is and, unsurprisingly, the agency backs the report's position that most households and businesses should pay for water according to how much they use.
Households with a water meter use between 10 and 15 per cent less water than those without and businesses that pay for what they use also tend to be more thrifty with their water use.
The UK is one of the few industrialised countries that have low levels of metering; currently only one third of households in England and Wales are metered. Businesses on the other hand are metered much more. Still many, such as golf courses, parks and such, use water for the lawns and fairways as if there be no tomorrow.
Golf courses even get exemptions from hosepipe bans while the rest of an area may be restricted of how and when they are allowed to use water and are prevented from watering their lawns, washing their cars, and such. This simply because the golf courses can turn around and sue the government for loss of earnings. Great! NOT!
An Environment Agency statement said: "Widespread water metering implemented by water companies, including safeguards to protect vulnerable groups, would provide a fairer charging system and is vital to help reduce water consumption and avert future severe shortages."
While the Environment Agency is calling for safeguards to protect the vulnerable groups we can bet our bottom dollar that this is not going to happen as the utilities are privately owned and are interested in but one thing; profit for them and their shareholders. Time to nationalize, once again, as far as Britain is concerned, all utilities and the railways.
The review also recognises the important role that structured education programmes and water saving campaigns can play to encourage people to change their water use behaviours across England and Wales.
Although climate change will lead to more frequent heavy downpours and increase the risk of flooding, the Environment Agency predicts that overall it will reduce the amount of water available in rivers in England and Wales by ten to 15% by 2050, and up to as much as 80% during summer months.
A potential 20 million increase in the population of England and Wales will put even greater pressure on the countries' finite water supplies.
The Environment Agency's Head of Water, Ian Barker, said: "Water is a precious resource which we all need to use more efficiently.
"Parts of England already have less available water per person than Spain or Morocco. Climate change, increases in population, and our growing demand for water will mean that there will be even less water in future.
"We believe that widespread metering and progressive tariffs represents the fairest and most sustainable charging approach for the future. We acknowledge that the transition requires careful management, particularly with regard to affordability, but metering will help customers reduce their consumption.
The Environment Agency supports the recommendations of the Walker Review and we want to see them taken forward as quickly as possible."
The reason for the fact that some parts of England already have less available water per person than Spain or Morocco, the Environment Agency spokesperson forgot to mention, is that most of our pipes leak worse than sieves and it has nothing whatsoever to do with any climate change.
Also we have had droughts in this country before climate change or global warming was the great catchphrase and that rather frequently too when summers were warm and dry.
However, the main reason for the lack of water in the reservoirs and aquifers is that too much land is concreted over such as, nowadays, most front areas or houses and often also half the gardens. Water has no other way to go but the storm drains and into the rivers from where it floods into the sea.
The water cycles that everyone was taught at school no longer works because we use too much water and we abuse too much water. Every time a toilet gets flushed – often just because of a pee – at least two gallons of perfectly good water goes down the drain, literally. This water rarely gets back to us in any way, shape or form.
We must change the way we use water and maybe metering can help there but it will not be the be all and end all in this. The large mains must be stopped from leaking and graywater systems must become the norm as far as toilets are concerned.
© 2010
