National
Press Office - 28-Jul-2008 - Saving water
in the home can reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and lead to lower energy and water bills,
according to a new report from the Environment
Agency.
The greenhouse gas implication
of future water resources options study
analyses the carbon impact of water companies
and also household water usage in the UK.
The report outlines how different water
supply schemes and options to help customers
reduce water compare in terms of greenhouse
gas emissions. It shows how the water industry
and householders can significantly reduce
these emissions through smarter energy and
water use.
The findings from this
report are also good news for household
utility bills. In the face of rising energy
prices, water metering alone could reduce
customers’ water and energy bills by between
£40 and £160 per year.
In 2006/07, the water
industry produced five million tonnes of
greenhouse gases. This means that the 23
companies making up the water industry were
responsible for about 0.8% of the annual
UK greenhouse gas emissions.
In comparison, the use
of hot water in homes for activities such
as personal use, household washing, cooking
and cleaning amounts to around 35 million
tonnes of greenhouse gases per year. This
is seven times as much as that emitted by
the water industry and amounts to over 5.5%
of total UK emissions.
Dr Paul Leinster, Chief
Executive at the Environment Agency, said:
"Looking across the life-cycle of water
supply, household water use and sewage treatment,
we calculated that for every million litres
of water around 7 tonnes of carbon dioxide
is emitted. Of this total, 6.2 tonnes results
from the use of water in our homes. Every
day, the average household uses 350 litres
of water and produces around 2.2kg of carbon
dioxide through the use of hot water. Over
a year this equates to the same level of
emissions as produced by driving 2,400 miles
in an average family car.
"Increases in greenhouse
gas emissions are contributing to climate
change but simple measures, particularly
those which reduce hot water use such as
metering, spray taps and efficient showers,
have the potential to save water and energy
and reduce carbon. For example, moving to
full water metering in England and Wales
could reduce annual emissions by 1.1-1.6
million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
This is the equivalent to around 340,000
to 490,000 (up to 2.0%) fewer cars on the
road each year out of a total of around
25 million."
Water companies are
now required for the first time to include
the cost of greenhouse gas emissions in
their water resource management plans and
to give details of annual emissions associated
with their water supply activities.
Dr Leinster added, "As
we look to the future it is clear that both
climate change and population growth are
set to increase the pressures on our scarce
water resources, particularly in the south
east of England. By looking at the carbon
cost of water management we can now understand
which types of future options will increase
our emissions further and those which will
actually reduce our emissions.
"Using this work
will enable us to adapt to the impact of
climate change and at the same time prevent
even greater future impacts by reducing
our emissions now. This work clearly demonstrates
that building new resource schemes such
as desalination and new reservoirs will
result in higher emissions whereas measures
which help customers to reduce water use
result in an overall reduction in emissions.
"To secure
sustainable supplies of water we will need
to implement the right balance of options
to help customers manage their demand for
water as well as consider some new water
resource schemes. Our new report will enable
ourselves, the water industry and other
stakeholders to find the right combination
for the future, helping us to maintain secure
supplies for customers while also ensuring
a lower carbon future. Getting it wrong
will leave a legacy of carbon-intensive
water management which will remain with
us for decades to come."
