Water Stressed Areas
Water Stress in England by 2030
Data modelled has predicted that 7 regions in England will face severe water stress by 2030
The West Midlands, London, portions of the South West, the East Midlands, the East of England, and the South East are anticipated to face significant impacts unless changes to water consumption change soon. Among these, the Southern regions of England are projected to experience the most pronounced effects.
image credit: Kingfisher Environmental Services.
Kelda can support organisations operating in water stressed areas with our innovative shower technology.
Daily water consumption within homes has continued to increase in recent years, with each person using 144 litres per day as of 2021/22 compared to 141 litres per day in 2017/18.
To address further scarcity issues in the future, the government has set a target of 122 per person per day by 2038, falling to 110 per person per day by 2050.
If these targets are not met, a further 5 regions experience water stress by 2040, taking the total to 12.
Astoundingly, approximately 66% of Brits significantly underestimate their water consumption, believing that they use 57 litres per person per day. A further 29% felt that they were not able to speculate on their consumption.
As water demand intensifies, it is crucial to enhance the management of water distribution volumes. In regions facing severe water stress, water companies have the authority to bill all customers based on their water consumption, measured through individual property water metres. The implementation of metering must demonstrate cost-effectiveness and gain customer approval through the water resources management plan (WRMP) process.
Local authorities can utilise water stress assessments to decide whether to mandate the more stringent standard of 110 litres per person per day in new developments. Otherwise, the application of water stress determinations is restricted to enabling water companies to contemplate mandatory metering within their water resources management plans. It is imperative that this information not be employed for purposes beyond those specified, such as development planning or water resources planning.
The average showerhead uses 12 litres of water per minute, meaning that an 8-minute shower uses approximately 96 litres of water. Kelda’s Air-Powered™ showers are verified to offer an immersive shower experience using just 4.5 litres per minute. This reduces consumption to 36 litres per minute for an 8-minute shower, a saving of nearly 66%.
Kelda Showers can help housebuilders comply with regulations in water scarce areas by significantly reducing the amount of water used per shower event. Kelda can help organisations meet their sustainability targets and deliver cost-effective regulatory compliance.
Furthermore, our Air-Powered™ showers are the only showers recognised by DESNZ and BRE through the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), through SAP Appendix Q.
Independent calculations have found that replacing a conventional mixer shower with our Air-Powered shower can help achieve compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations and, as less water is used, it can also help with Part G.
For guidance on how to model Air-Powered showers within SAP Appendix Q, please consult our guidance notes or contact us for further information.