The UK is facing a shortfall of 200 million litres of water by 2038 – the equivalent of one billion cups of tea, according to worrying data. Demand is set to outstrip supply, with the country likely to need as much as 40.1 billion litres of water annually within 15 years due to the growing population.
More frequent extreme weather events, combined with a rise in temperatures of two degrees, could see river flows decrease by a fifth by 2055. And figures show there could be 70 percent less rainfall by 2070 in the UK, if high global emissions continue.
The data, which comes from the likes of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Met Office, was analysed by Demos, a cross-party think-tank, and supported by Affinity Water, the UK’s largest water-only supplier, as part of its new report.
It includes an eight-point plan for tackling water resilience, following consultation with government, policymakers, academia, home builders, climate experts, and the water industry – which includes resurrecting the Minister for Water position, and creating a National Water…
