Dr Paul Leinster, Chief Executive at the Environment Agency has said that the UK's current approach of using one level of treatment meant that water treated to drinking water standards was being used for purposes that it is not required for.

Dr Leinster said that the UK now needed to look at all of the options with regard to what level of treatment is required for what type of water and that the issues were now under active consideration by the Agency.

He cited as an example example use at the Olympics site in London of  "black water" which is being used for the watering of landscape areas via an on-site water-treatment plant which takes raw water and treats it to a sufficient standard to enable landscape plants to grow.

Dr.leinster was giving evidence to the Efra Committee's current inquiry into the Government's Water White Paper last week.