Mayor kicks off consultation on future of London water management

The draft London Water Strategy, which has been developed with Thames Water and the Environment Agency, marks the start of a three-month long public and stakeholder consultation. It proposes that London householders waste less water, that London's pipes and sewerage network works more efficiently, and that utility companies identify ways of using sewerage to create renewable energy.
 
The  Mayor is keen for Londoners to be aware of, and look after, their water resources. The average Londoner currently gets through an average of 160 litres of water a day and over a quarter of the capital’s home carbon emissions come from water. As London’s population rises from 7.56 million to an expected 9.11 million by 2031, Johnson says the capital has a choice of becoming more water efficient of paying for more expensive solutions.
 
“We have enough water for London, but only if we use it wisely and effectively. As our population grows we face a
choice of either becoming more water efficient and making the water we have go further, or having to commit to expensive solutions, such as a new reservoir, to meet our increasing demand, with additional costs on our bills," he said.

In April, the Environment Agency made its own wide-ranging recommendations for reducing water consumption in England and Wales.

Clive Coley, the Environment Agency's Regional Strategy Manager for Thames, said the agency was vsupportive of the proposals in the Mayor's draft water strategy. "Water is precious – essential for people and the environment, but we face not having enough if we do not make changes now. By 2050, climate change could reduce the amount of water available by up to 15 per cent so everyone needs to consume less and be more efficient with the water that is used," he said.