We need to be more water aware and we need to use water wisely, or we risk placing parts of this country under severe water stress.
Last March, the Environment Agency warned that the UK could see water shortages by 2050 if action is not taken to conserve supplies. Collectively, the UK sends a fifth of its water supply down the drain and the average consumer in England and Wales uses 142 litres of water a day.
But the responsibility for tackling this doesn't solely lie with water providers. With water management being revamped in response to the climate crisis, now is the time for collaboration across industries, government and down to every individual in the UK. It boils down to two points: we need to be more water aware and we need to use water wisely, or we risk placing parts of this country under severe water stress.
Today marks the start of Water Saving Week. It's a time to celebrate this natural resource but also, more pressingly, to raise awareness of its scarcity and the issues around water use and to share solutions for saving water and maintaining its efficient use.
A smart solution how we're helping the industry Every day, 2.9 billion litres of water are lost to leakages. This makes up an astounding 20% of the public water supply. Leakages mean more water needed in the network, and more energy required to process and transport that water.
This is where smart water metering has become integral. AMI smart water meters collect and present data in near real-time, meaning households and businesses can be much better informed about their water consumption.
In 2020, Thames Water reported that customers with smart meters were using around 17% less water than those without, while Anglian Water Services predicted an 18% reduction in consumption in its forward investment plans thanks to smart metering.
Combatting the climate crisis Smart metering technology also has a vital role to play in helping the UK meet its net zero targets and ultimately, tackle the climate crisis. According to joint analysis from Arqiva and Waterwise, of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions, 6% are estimated to arise through household water supply and use. Of these, 90% relate to water use in the home. The remaining 10% comes from water companies supplying water and removing and treating wastewater. Our calculations reveal that fitting one million smart water meters in the UK each year for the next 15 years could save one billion litres of water a day by the mid-2030s. In turn, this could reduce the UK's current greenhouse gas emissions by up to 0.5%.
So, what's next?
Moving metering to the mainstream Calling for a mandate for the universal rollout of smart water meters by 2035 is the first step towards preventing water shortages. The good news is that this is both achievable and realistic based on current technology and services. On top of this, there's an urgent need to develop policies which support, rather than hinder, progress towards reducing water use, waste and tackling the associated carbon emissions.
As we approach COP26, the government and broader industry has a golden opportunity to improve cooperation on water supply issues, ensuring that environmental and sustainability measures are at the heart of policy going forward. In its journey to achieving net zero by 2030, the water industry and wider society are faced with the challenge of securing the UK's current and future water supply. It's ambitious, but the industry is committed to protecting and enhancing the environment and intends to be part of the solution to the climate crisis. This week is a perfect moment of reflection next time you're in the shower or brushing your teeth, remember we can all take action to save water.
Published
17/05/2021
Author
John Lillistone, Director of Utilities, Arqiva
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/06/2026
Two Alumni Win Tony Awards Mike Morris and Cedric Leiba Jr. won awards for Best Orchestrations and Best Play, respectively.
June 8, 2026
By
Tori Donahue
...
08/06/2026
The two execs discuss the goals and the challenges of building a huge multi-cult...
08/06/2026
This industry legend has been a road warrior since the early '90s and is, today, a lynchpin on College GameDay
The sports-production industry continues to ...
08/06/2026
DAZN has agreed a multi-year rights partnership with Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC), expanding its global combat sports portfolio.
DAZN will broadcast EFC...
08/06/2026
As fans move across broadcast, streaming, social, mobile and creator-led platforms, and they expect every angle, in real time, TVU Networks has released a new e...
08/06/2026
Infront has further strengthened the 2026 Diamond League's international bro...
08/06/2026
Grass Valley has announced the appointment of Sam Craig as Vice President, Global Pre-Sales. Based in the United States, Craig will lead Grass Valley's glob...
08/06/2026
SMPTE has announced its summer 2026 education lineup covering IP networking and SMPTE ST 2110, including two standalone courses, a 13-week boot camp, and a hand...
08/06/2026
Sportradar Group AG has announced a multi-year global agreement with Kalshi, a p...
08/06/2026
FIFA and Gamefam have announced the launch of a FIFA World Cup 2026 event on Roblox, running June 5 through July 31, 2026. The event centers on FIFA Super Socce...
08/06/2026
A collaboration of NHL Productions, Monumental Sports, and Michael Levitt Produc...
08/06/2026
CBS Sports production staffer Bryce Adair has died at the age of 31 after sustaining injuries during a car accident on Wednesday while in Ohio working the the P...
08/06/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and repo...
08/06/2026
WMT Digital today announced the launch of WMT Fan Intelligence, designed to unif...
08/06/2026
The Heat are the seventh NBA team to air their games over-the-air next season...
08/06/2026
Paramount and UFC have announced an expansion of their media rights partnership making Paramount the exclusive home of UFC Numbered Event main cards in Canada ...
08/06/2026
The Qatar Football Association (QFA), in cooperation with Sponix and broadcaster...
08/06/2026
Project B has announced the appointment of Host Broadcast Services (HBS) as Offi...
08/06/2026
The Buckeyes now produce and stream upwards of 200 sports events annually with a...
08/06/2026
At Spotify, our commitment to the LGBTQIA community is year-round. Through GLOW, our global music program, we celebrate and amplify the contributions of queer ...
08/06/2026
Get Hands-on With Keyboard & Synth Brands
GearExpo UK wouldn't be complete without some synth action, and we've got some of the industry's most ...
08/06/2026
50 popular in-ear monitoring system profiles added
The latest update for IK Multimedia's headphone-correction system has just arrived, and introduces ca...
08/06/2026
Manny Marroquin signature cans upgraded with SLAM Technology
The flagship model in Audeze's Manny Marroquin Signature Series has just been treated to an...
08/06/2026
Air domain supremacy redefined - New counter UAS, space solutions and directiona...
08/06/2026
he BBC and BritBox have announced that Edward Bluemel (We Might Regret This, My ...
08/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/06/2026
Dante interfaces, intercom and control systems for modern AV environments
Glensound will showcase a focused range of networked audio and intercom solutions fo...
08/06/2026
Bminty is proud to celebrate the first anniversary of T18, the new free national French DTT channel launched on June 6, 2025. This symbolic milestone also marks...
08/06/2026
DaVinci Resolve Used For Global Collaboration on Tony Foster Documentary
Brie Clayton June 8, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio and Blackmagic Cl...
08/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/06/2026
Plus, 20% off TVs ahead of kick-offMonday 8 June 2026
Sky introduces Real Time...
08/06/2026
FOX Secures Live NFL Game Package in Mexico Starting in Fall 2026 Agreement Features Thursday Night Football, Sunday Games Package, Thanksgiving Day Games, al...
08/06/2026
FOX One, FOX Sports and Indeed Name Austin Franklin and Kevin Akoto as FOX One C...
08/06/2026
Meet us on the show floor
Stand #286310 Discover Nara, the media management tool used by major facilities including Harbor and Molinare.
Nara v2 introduces re...
08/06/2026
L'art de l'Image dans Reflet dans un diamant mort' Une conversation avec le directeur de la photographie Manuel Dacosse, SBC et l' talonneur Pe...
08/06/2026
Embracing today's modern media workflows: FilmLight presents Nara 2.0, with FilmLight API Designed to support the growing demands of today's production ...
08/06/2026
Moderated by Andy Minuth, FilmLight's Colour Workflow Specialist
Wednesday 18 February
6:00pm / Doors open
7:00pm / Presentation in German
8:00pm / Drin...
08/06/2026
Join us on April 14 at 10:00am for a technical roundtable with the Filmlight dev...
08/06/2026
You're invited to FLAPI Classroom The fundamentals of coding and machine-assisted development
These sessions will help you build the skills needed to cre...
08/06/2026
With Sylvain Canaux (St Louis, Paris) and J r me Cloutier (MELS, Montreal)
Wednesday 6 May
Pick your time: 1:00PM / 5:00PM
Note: The presentation will be hel...
We need to be more water aware and we need to use water wisely, or we risk placing parts of this country under severe water stress.
