Reducing Water Wastage in the UK

At the Waterwise water efficiency conference, part of UN World Water Day celebrations, key water industry representatives gathered to debate the role of water efficiency to better manage our water supply and to ensure the protection of our water supply for future generations.

Phil Woolas, Minister for the Environment gave the key note speech at the conference dinner. Other high level speakers included regulators, Managing Directors from water companies and government representatives as well as international speakers from Australia, the USA and Spain. The conference looked at the practical details of implementation and the outcomes of the conference will feed directly into the next water companies’ periodic review. It took place at Keble College in Oxford on 8/9 April.

Conference delegates included a cross section of all organisations interested in water efficiency - the leading policy makers, doers and thinkers on water efficiency, retailers, manufacturers, academics and researchers, water companies, the bathroom industry, housing and local authorities.

Phil Woolas, Minister for the Environment says ‘Since Waterwise was established in 2005, there has been a step change in the interest in water efficiency. The drought in South East England in 2004-06 and the temporary interruption of supply caused by the floods in Gloucester last year have served to remind us of the value of water and how easily it can be taken for granted. I very much welcome the contribution that Waterwise is making.’

Jacob Tompkins, director of Waterwise says, ‘The size of our conference has doubled since last year and this is the largest gathering of water efficiency experts in Europe. This shows that water efficiency is now being considered seriously as a key element in securing future water supplies in the UK.’

The last two years in the UK have seen the worst floods and droughts for a century. Both these events have led to water shortages and we are likely to see this happening more frequently in the future as a result of climate change. In addition, our population is increasing and the amount of water we all use each day is increasing. Almost half of England is seriously water stressed.

It is imperative that we start to think about how we use our water every day. The UK’s fresh water supplies are not limitless. Climate change, along with population growth and shift mean that we can’t simply continue to use a third more than many of our European neighbours. The most effective long term way to stop future water shortages is for all of us to make small behavioural changes and to choose water efficient products.’

For more information about Waterwise and water saving tips please visit www.waterwise.org.uk

Notes to Editors
1. Waterwise is an independent, not for profit, non-governmental organisation focused on decreasing water consumption in the UK by 2010 and building the evidence base for large scale water efficiency. We are the leading authority on water efficiency in the UK. We sit on the UK Environment Minister’s Water Saving Group alongside the water industry and regulators. Our aim is to reverse the upward trend in how much water we all use at home and at work by 2010. For more information please visit www.waterwise.org.uk

2. The Waterwise conference was held at Keble college, Oxford on Tuesday 8 April and Wednesday 9 April.
3. UK Speakers included:

- Phil Woolas, Minister for the Environment
- Barbara Young, Chief Executive, Environment Agency
- Regina Finn, Chief Executive, Ofwat
- Shona Dunn, Head of Buildings, CLG
- Chris Loughlin, Chair Designate, Water UK and Chief Executive, South-West Water
- Jean Spencer, Regulation Director, Anglian Water
4. International speakers included:
- Warren Liebold, Director of Conservation, Bureau of Customer and Conservation Services, New York
- Andre Boerema, Residential Water Conservation Programme Manager, Sydney Water
- Sandra Benbeniste Millan, Director of Programmes at the Foundation for Ecology and Development (ECODES), Zaragoza
- Amy Vickers, Senior International Water Conservation Consultant, USA

Contact
Chris Philpot
Media and Campaigns Manager, Waterwise
020 7957 4615
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