Alastair Chisholm

The UK is getting drier. Could reusing greywater help? Experts say the average Briton uses too much water per day and societal change needs to start today to tackle looming water crisis

The UK is getting drier. Could reusing greywater help?

🗣️ With comment from CIWEM's Alastair Chisholm and The Rivers Trust's Mark Lloyd.

@theriverstrust.bsky.social
@alastairchisholm.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

If reservoirs alone or tackling leakage won't save us from water scarcity & with flood risk on the rise, we need an overarching National Rainwater Strategy to inform water management in developments.
Rainwater reuse & SuDS.
The benefits would be big. More: www.ewsc.org.uk/project-repo...

YouTube video by ITV News Why the UK still won't have enough water despite building new reservoirs | ITV News

Great piece by @itvnews.bsky.social on why the UK still won't have enough water despite building new reservoirs, and some of the other approaches that could unlock water resilient housing and wider economic growth in water scarce areas. @ciwem.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykj5...

A torrent of special pleas from Thames Water Company hopes to win big compromises from regulators to get its financial restructuring over the line

On every level allowing special dispensation for Thames would be a disaster + set a horrendous precedent.
- Other companies- why bother to comply?
- Govt elected on a mandate to clean up rivers/ seas seen as utter frauds
- Regulators a total laughing stock
www.theguardian.com/business/nil...

Southern Water pauses water-saving scheme despite drought fears The company’s home visits will be put on hold at the end of June — potentially during the peak of concern over water supplies and hosepipe bans

That hosepipe bans are one of the first drought measures implemented shows how effective water efficiency is. Home visits are an important part of longer-term programmes. In the SE, 1/2 of new water needs are to leave more in the environment @adamvaughan.bsky.social. www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...

Water companies urged to prepare for ‘possible’ summer drought after driest spring in decades Water companies have been urged to prepare for a medium risk of summer drought following the driest Spring since 1961, after a meeting of the National Drought Group on Wednesday.

@alastairchisholm.bsky.social, CIWEM policy director, has warned that although measures like upgrading infrastructure and fixing leakage are important, “ministers can’t keep pushing the focus onto water companies and failing to look at the impact of their own housing growth".

More @endsreport.com ⬇️

Government can’t hide behind Tories on lack of climate adaptation action - CIWEM CIWEM policy director Alastair Chisholm says the government has easy opportunities to demonstrate its climate adaptation credentials.

2) Govt yet again blames inheritance of a "crumbling water system" from the Tories.
That may be, but it needs to stop blaming and get acting. Water efficiency is highly effective in drought yet govt's done nothing to progress measures set up by last gov.
www.ciwem.org/news/governm...

England faces drought this summer as reservoir water levels dwindle Exclusive: Government and water firms preparing for possible shortages as dry weather is expected to continue

1) The National Drought Group meet on Wednesday. Water companies likely to activate drought plans. Early action is important to mitigate the impacts seen on nature and agriculture and preserve public water supplies in case of a hot dry summer. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

No hosepipe ban in 2025 for Midlands, says Severn Trent The water firm says there are no plans for a ban despite the increasingly warm weather.

Severn Trent water say they won't be putting on a hosepipe ban this year. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Will there be drought this year and if so, what lessons from 2022 were learned?
It's certainly dry so far this year compared to many previous drought years.
We'll likely need 2012-esque wet early summer to pull back from the brink.
📢Blog / position here: www.ciwem.org/news/managin...

It’s utter lunacy.

Nature & green access aside, how can on one hand govt confirm raised ambition for heat pumps & solar then on the other light a fire under the urban heat island effect?

The same week its statutory climate advisers warn its progress on climate adaptation is beyond useless…

Records break for hottest start to May in Wales The new record for 1 May in Wales has seen temperatures 10 degrees above average.

Wales has had 30% less rainfall than this point in 2022. In extreme dry conditions, areas with surface water reservoir storage feel the pinch most quickly.

Welsh water starting to encourage people to use less. Expect this kind of messaging to spread.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Government can’t hide behind Tories on lack of climate adaptation action - CIWEM CIWEM policy director Alastair Chisholm says the government has easy opportunities to demonstrate its climate adaptation credentials.

Govt has some oven-ready wins to address failings identified in yesterday's @thecccuk.bsky.social climate progress report.

In fact the last Labour government set them up.

Whilst Labour loves to point to past Tory water failures, it also needs to get on and act.
www.ciwem.org/news/governm...

3) New reservoirs won't come on stream for many years.

Government really needs to urgently bring forward water efficiency measures like product labelling and building regulations alongside new infrastructure and leakage reduction.

These things are pretty much oven-ready.

2) In 2022 it was only really July that saw rainfall anomalies approaching as outrageously extreme as this March's. The heat then led to big spikes in demand which exacerbated things. This April's is likely to be pretty dry too.
www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/cli...

Hosepipe bans loom after dry spring and mini heatwave Those who do not follow a hosepipe ban can be prosecuted through criminal courts and fined up to £1,000

1) This spring feels not dissimilar to 2022 when we last had drought and heatwaves. Except it's arguably drier. Whether we see drought measures later in the year depends on the next couple of months.
inews.co.uk/news/summer-...

4) It must be hoped that the Water Commission has the wisdom to recognise these climate-water sector nexus issues & that Govt is waiting for this endorsement to move. @richardbenwell.bsky.social.

Measures like Managing Rainwater Where it Falls could be a great start.
www.ewsc.org.uk/project-repo...

3) The Code for Sustainable Homes was a Labour initiative. This govt is seemingly indifferent to its impressive water efficiency drivers.

Whatever the Tory inheritance this Govt should now be moving forward these common sense measures. But seemingly short term growth trumps all.

2) The Climate Change Act 2008 was a Labour Act orchestrated by Ed Miliband. Yet govt is seemingly indifferent to its adaptation side. The Flood & Water Management Act 2010 was Labour Act. Govt is seemingly indifferent to its Schedule 3 on drainage.

Government warned it is setting country up for 'disaster' unless it better prepares UK for heavy flooding and intense heat After deadly flooding in Valencia and fierce LA wildfires, climate advisers in the UK have issued a stark warning the country is unprepared to cope with a hotter world.

1) Latest climate report "blistering" says
@seabrookclimate.bsky.social. Govt is keen to blame state of flood defences, water infrastructure etc on Tories. But it is feet-dragging/ backsliding on key flood/ drought resilience policies Tories were planning. news.sky.com/story/govern...

2) Sustainable drainage is one part of that resilience jigsaw. Recognised back in 2007 & beyond, legislated by
@teamlabouruk.bsky.social in 2010 but never implemented. Why @tobyperkinsmp.bsky.social is govt seemingly backsliding on #SuDS? Your committee might wish to probe.
@floodmary.bsky.social

File on 4 Investigates - Hell and High Water: Are we ready for the floods? - BBC Sounds Is enough being done to protect people from flooding?

1) Govt advisors have warned countless times of need to better prepare for floods.
@thecccuk.bsky.social no doubt will imminently
@commonseac.parliament.uk currently investigating
Ministers know what needs to be done but housebuilding seemingly trumps all else - & communities suffer.
t.co/sxrymfXLpY

Labour’s great nature sellout is the worst attack on England’s ecosystems I’ve seen in my lifetime | George Monbiot The horrifying planning bill, which rips up environmental protections, was drafted with CEOs in mind. We know because Keir Starmer told us, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

It's hard to get your head around the scale of the environmental vandalism the Labour government is hoping to unleash. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is up there with Trump's executive orders. And the reason is the same: corporate power.
This week's column.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

(8/8) Finally, @emmahardymp.bsky.social, A National Rainwater Management Strategy 🌦️⛈️🏘️🛣️🐄⛰️

That sets out how we manage rain where it falls, harvesting it as a precious resource. In homes, on farms

AND stops it mobilising sewage, farm waste and toxic highway runoff into our rivers, lakes and seas.

English Devolution White Paper

(7/8) Enhance local/ regional democracy around water priorities, giving mayors a role in overseeing/ enabling regional priority programmes with wider stakeholders & greater ability to direct funding. Beef up catchment partnerships as on-the-ground enablers.
www.gov.uk/government/p...

(6/8) AND...
- Review ‘wholesome water’ regulations to enable harvested rainwater to be used for non-potable purposes such as toilet flushing (Section 68 of the Water Industry Act 1991 and Regulation 4 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016).

Household goods to carry water efficiency labels New eco-labels to will help save consumers money on their energy and water bills.

(5/8) That'll deliver only about 1/3 of what we need. The rest will need to come from leakage + water efficiency. Govt must step up on policy:
- Mandatory water efficiency labelling on goods/ fittings
- Building regulations targeting 80 litres/ person/ day equivalent
www.gov.uk/government/n...

(4/8) Major water infrastructure needed:
- 9 new reservoirs (+1 expansion)
- 9 desalination plants
- 8 major water recycling schemes
- 5 major water transfer schemes

(3/8) Alongside cleaner water we need enough water.

Facing a near-5 billion litre/day shortage by 2050, in some parts of the country half of this is to restore sustainable river flows (environmental destination).

Low flows exacerbate the impacts of pollution.

Highway runoff and the water environment - CIWEM A report shines a light on the toxic cocktail of pollutants that runs off the UK’s road network and into our rivers and water sources every time it rains.

(2/8) Then, other sources of pollution:
- Agricultural runoff through regulation + well-targeted support,
- Toxic highway runoff tackled through far more treatment wetlands and other devices - see www.ciwem.org/policy-repor...