Background
Water is not just necessary for oursurvival, it is also
essential for many of our day-to-day activities - in domestic,
agricultural and industrial situations. As consumption levels continue
to rise, there is increasing pressure upon river, groundwater, and
wetland ecosystems.
The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) anticipates that global
warming will lead to significant changes in rainfall distribution and
intensity, with UK properties likely to suffer in the future from water
shortages or flood damage. The design, capacity and maintenance of urban
drainage systems may require upgrading in order to accommodate greater
storm activity.
Recognising these growing pressures the Environment Agency has
produced a regional water resources strategy to guide the management of
this vital resource over the next 25 years.
In Nottinghamshire, the Sherwood Sandstone aquifer, which is the
primary source of public water supply in the county, has been heavily
exploited, and is vulnerable to pollution from surface activities.
It is important that standards of design materials specification and
of on-site construction practices respect the vulnerability of all
watercourses, aquifers and environmentally sensitive areas. The
challenge ahead is to manage the demand for water, its associated
infrastructure and the water environment more effectively and, in doing
so, to reduce the threat of flooding, pollution and water shortage.
There are many measures that can be taken to save and re-use water. Most require little cost and have a minimum impact on lifestyles.
Forces for change
- Higher UK water consumption levels.
- Drier summers will increase risk of water shortages (by a fifth by 2020).
- Wetter winters with heavier downpours will increase flood risk and storm damage.
- Increasing incidences of water pollution can endanger wildlife and public supply.
- More widespread metering.
- Increased cost of water supply and treatment.
- Increased availability of new cost-effective systems for recycling water, curbing its use and treating waste-water.
- More stringent EU national and regional policies/legislation to reduce water use, pollution and flood risk.
