This month, Chief Executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association, Tom Reynolds considers the latest Government update on water and environment protection plans.
Three years on from the launch of the Government’s 25-year Environment Plan, there are changes to be made to realise the ambition of ‘clean and plentiful water and a cleaner, greener country for all.
At the Bathroom Manufacturers Association, we are calling on the public, merchants and Government to take action to drive down water consumption, before water shortages become the norm.
The recently released progress report on the Environment Plan, shows we are heading in the right direction.
Per capita water consumption in England, 2000 – 2020 reduced from 152 litres per person per day to 141 litres per person per day in terms of domestic water use, but there’s still a long way to go if we’re to avoid routine water shortages in the years to come.
The report recognises climate change and population growth will put increasing pressure on our water supplies and that ‘ambitious reductions’ in water consumption and leakage have a significant role in maintaining secure supplies and protecting the environment.
Reducing the energy and water demand of our 27 million homes is crucial to achieving our national environmental goals. Firstly, BMA is highlighting how consumers can reduce water waste by checking their toilets for leaks, it is a simple way to make a big difference. Our dedicated webpage www.getlavvysavvy.co.uk gives clear guidance on what to look for. You may have water leaking from your toilet and you don’t realise it. Limescale, cleaning products and grime can build up and stop the parts from working properly, causing water to constantly trickle into the toilet bowl. This can waste hundreds of litres of water a day.
Secondly, retailers and merchants can do their bit by displaying information on the Unified Water Label in a prominent place, to give consumers the information on the best water-efficient products to buy.
Thirdly, Government has a big role to play in addressing water efficiency in the country’s 27 million homes. To do this, schemes to incentivise the installation of the most water-efficient products should be created and the National Retrofit Strategy produced by the Construction Leadership Council should be adopted.
