Future Homes Hub water ready report. Your water reuse summary

Have you seen the latest recommendations from the Future Homes Hub? The latest report, ‘Water Ready’, outlines a framework for water industry stakeholders to work together to ensure that new homes in England are water efficient. The full report can be found on the FHH’s website here. If you’re looking for a summary of this report in relation to water reuse, then Stormsaver have you covered with our handy summary of the report below.

Stormsaver is proud to have contributed to this crucial report by sharing our experiences as a water reuse manufacturer providing rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, and maintenance solutions over the past two decades. We are delighted to see the publication of this report which, for the first time, considers water reuse as an essential consideration in future residential properties.

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Our summary

The report starts by outlining the problem with water availability in the UK. As recently reported by the Environment Agency, the UK water deficit is expected to reach 5 billion litres per day by 2050. The water deficit refers to the volume of available water supply when compared to expected demand levels.

Here are the key takeaways from the report in relation to water reuse…

Future levels for LPPPD (litres per person per day)

Essentially, this means how much water is consumed in each home. Part G of the building regulations currently specifies that new homes be built to the standard of 125 litres per person per day. Under the regulation, planners can specify a lower rate of 110 litres per person per day where water scarcity is an issue.

The report sets out a roadmap to lowering LPPPD over the next 5 to 10 years and this is crucial to ensure we avoid future water scarcity.

2025

2030

2035

105 LPPPD

Achieved through the fittings approach

100 LPPPD

Achieved through the fittings approach and innovation

90 LPPPD

Achieved through the fittings approach and further innovation

100 LPPPD

In water stressed areas

90 LPPPD

In water stressed areas

80 LPPPD

In water stressed areas

To be determined in seriously water stressed areas to enable sustainable growth

90 LPPPD

In seriously stressed water areas to enable sustainable growth

Water reuse and recycling

a communal rainwater harvesting diagram showing multiple households reusing rainwater.

The report investigates the potential to utilise rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling to reduce the use of mains water. Traditionally, individual plot systems have been utilised on a small scale in a limited number of UK developments. However, the report now looks at communal ‘dual pipe systems’ as the preferred approach to achieving water reuse at scale.

Dual pipework systems involve the separation of potable and non-potable water demands into two individual supply networks. Traditional mains water, treated to drinking water standards, is used for applications such as drinking, sanitation, and food preparation. Whereas, the alternative, non-potable network is supplied by recycled rainwater or greywater and is utilised for tasks like toilet flushing, irrigation, and operating washing machines.

As a result, all homes will need to be ‘water reuse ready’ with dual pipework systems installed by 2030. This will mean that homes from then will have all the necessary infrastructure for water reuse to be retrofitted at a later date.

Why communal systems?

The report outlines why communal rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling are preferred over traditional individual plot systems. These are…
More protection against potential cross-contamination between the recycled supply and mains water supply.
Removes internal components from within the home.
Removes the responsibility of maintenance from the homeowner and ensures future cross-contamination risks are not an issue.

Key recommendations for water reuse

DEFRA (Department for Environmental, Food, and Rural Affairs) will instruct BSI (British Standards Institution) to define a new standard for dual pipework systems.
New arrangements for adoption, including Enabling Water Smart Communities to consider how communal systems can be adopted.
Water companies are recommended to be a part of the specification process of new communal systems to ensure they can be adopted.
An agreement for minimum competency levels for maintenance providers through training.

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Written by Matt
Water Reuse Specialist

My role as a Water Reuse Specialist means I get to keep up to date with all things water conservation. My favourite water saving tip is to turn taps off when brushing your teeth! I think rainwater harvesting and the water reuse industry is exciting, and I love sharing updates with our customers. View Matt’s Stormsaver profile here.

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