Essex And Suffolk Water usage halt. A key lesson to be learned for the rest of England.

Water is the lifeblood of our economy, and without plentiful supplies, we cannot continue to expand and grow at current rates.

The time to start using water wisely is now, especially if you’re a business as water companies do not have a legal obligation to provide a water supply for non-domestic purposes.

Essex and Suffolk Issue

Businesses in Essex and Suffolk have been told by their local water authority that they are not permitted to increase their water usage beyond what they already use. This policy is in place until 2033. This halt has come as a shock to many businesses whose growth plans are now limited by a lack of available water supplies.

Essex and Suffolk both fall within a “seriously water stressed” region where demand for water supplies is close to exceeding available supplies. This classification is given by the Environment Agency, but many people are unaware that the majority of England is actually already classed as “seriously water stressed”. Some campaigners and government steering groups are even pushing for the whole of the UK to be classified as “seriously water stressed”.

A total of 5 billion litres of additional water will be required everyday to meet demands. This in addition to the 16 billion litres we already produce on a daily basis.

What are the rules for water companies

The Water Industry Act 1991 is the piece of legislation that tells water companies what they can and cannot do. This piece of legislation gives power to water companies to prioritise supplies to domestic properties, over non-domestic purposes.

New connections from non-domestic properties to water utility networks can even be denied by water companies.

When considering new connections, water companies must undertake an assessment to investigate the impact on current and future supply availability for domestic properties. Water companies can also refuse new connections where it would cost them large sums of money to upgrade their infrastructure to provide a supply.

So, in essence, water supplies for businesses are not guaranteed and that is why improving water efficiency and having more autonomy over water supplies is important for a business’s future development plans.

What is the lesson for the rest of England?

The Essex and Suffolk issue, as well as the introduction of Water Neutrality in Horsham should serve as a warning to us all. These are two stories of where development and growth have been halted due to a lack of water, and we can use these examples to prevent the same situation from happening in other areas of the country.

It’s not just the responsibility of the water company to protect water supplies, it is everyone’s responsibility, at home and at work. The message especially applies to businesses who are looking to grow their operations in the coming years.

Growing sustainably does not just mean focusing on carbon and energy reduction but should focus on improving water efficiency too!

A StormStation loaded onto the back of a lorry

Water Reuse

One of the ways to improve water efficiency is water reuse.

The benefits of water reuse are wide-ranging. Rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling systems can improve water efficiency by up to 75%. For businesses, this means greater certainty over supplies, reduced water bills, and improved sustainability credentials.

It is also in the best interests of water companies for as many sites as possible as to be recycling water as there is the added benefit of reduced water runoff into their utility network, reducing the likelihood of combined sewer overflows (CSOs).

It is also considered best-practice to ensure that rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling technologies are considered during the design stage of a building, enabling water savings to be maximised. However, if your property is already operational, retrofitting a rainwater harvesting system can be investigated.

If you would like to find out more about water reuse, you can view our solutions here.