A new report by the British Standards Institution (BSI) is warning that low levels of trust in the UK’s water infrastructure, brought about by persistently high levels of sewage in the country’s waterways, is endangering public cooperation in reducing water use.

The warning comes in a new analysis of water scarcity levels globally in new research published today by BSI and Waterwise.

Thirst for change: securing a water positive future says that tackling water scarcity should be as much a priority as climate change and that without action, by 2050, 75% of the world’s population could be facing drought.  The report also notes that water provision and use contribute around 10% of global carbon emissions.

Jonathan Chocqueel-Mangan, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, BSI said:

“Water is one of the earth’s most fundamental and precious resources. We have launched this partnership to understand more about how we can collaborate to uncover opportunities to improve water availability by providing solutions that will benefit people and planet.”

“At BSI, we understand that ensuring a water-secure future could be as big an opportunity as reducing carbon emissions. As an organization focused on driving business improvement, we hope we can have a significant positive impact on society and organizations alike by advancing this debate.”

The UK is among the worst 10 countries assessed when it comes to levels of freshwater resources - the UK has less access to renewable water resource than Turkey, Spain or Italy.

The UK has also been found to have amongst the highest levels of water consumption per capita in the world, the joint 34th highest amongst the countries assessed.

The report is calling for the water crisis to be considered as critical as the net-zero transition, noting that in several major economies around the world usable freshwater is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth and poor water quality management.

Mandatory water efficiency labelling on products could help tackle problems of water scarcity

The report also suggests that mandatory water efficiency labelling on products could help to address this – in the UK, the Government has committed to bring in a mandatory water label for domestic and commercial products by 2025.

According to the report, levels of water scarcity are soaring in major economies including the US and China, as annual water use has risen by around 3,500 billion m3 globally over the last century. Action to increase water circularity through global collaboration and innovation could help tackle scarcity and bring wider benefits - including reducing drought risk, supporting climate goals and advancing social development to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The study by BSI, the business improvement and standards company, in partnership with Waterwise, a leading voice on the efficient use of water, includes an Indicator evaluating water scarcity in 40 locations, with the US, China and India receiving the highest possible rating. The report finds that a combination of population growth, climate change and economic development is driving demand and putting growing, unsustainable pressure on water resources globally.

Nicci Russell, Chief Executive, Waterwise said:

“Water is fundamental to life. Yet we face huge challenges across the globe in ensuring water is available for people, organizations and the environment. The United Nations reports that a quarter of the world's population already live in countries under water stress. It is increasingly clear that we can't go on as we have been. It is just not sustainable.

“A key part of the solution is making sure that we use the water that we do have wisely in our homes and workplaces; avoiding water wastage. By doing this we can help ensure that we adapt to the impacts of the climate emergency; reach net zero emissions; secure water supplies for people and businesses and protect and improve the environment.”

According to polling commissioned by BSI, two-thirds of consumers and 80% of small business leaders identified clean water and sanitation as ‘part of sustainability’ while half of the former and 44% of the latter placed it in the top five issues to focus global resource and effort on.

The report sets out a number of key steps and recommendations that could have a positive impact on tackling water scarcity, including:

• Recognize water wastage as a serious challenge - acknowledge the issue and act, with utility companies leading the way to reduce network leakage
• Ensure it is easy to choose water-saving products and make sustainable choices – for example learning from countries including Australia and Singapore, which apply mandatory product water efficiency labelling systems, aligned with the relevant standard
• Embrace innovation and make better use of data - smart meters have the potential to be a game changer when it comes to saving water
• Encourage a water saving culture - prioritize protecting our planet through water management, whether that is at home or in the workplace, and across different sectors
• Close the loop - make water recycling and reuse the norm where possible, using techniques such as water recycling and water reuse in new buildings, or rainwater harvesting
• Partner for impact - collaborative effort across a wide range of players from government and regulators to the water industry and ultimately all of us as water users can help us address the growing challenges around water availability.
• Collaboration and a move towards a water-saving culture can accelerate progress.

The report sets out affordable and accessible actions by individuals, organizations and society to address water scarcity, including the increased use of smart meters and installing alternative water supply systems (rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling) or sustainable urban drainage solutions (SuDS) into new buildings.

Martin Townsend, Director for BSI Centre of Excellence for Sustainability, added:

“Water is one our most fundamental, precious and undervalued resources - it is the blue thread that connects our world – and using it wisely can bring important benefits, helping us to maintain good health and a biodiverse natural environment, ensure we have sufficient food supplies and contributing to economic growth. But it is becoming increasingly clear that it is not sustainable for demand for water to continue to rise without action to ensure we are using it wisely and managing it efficiently.

“Many countries and individuals are already highly alert to the impact of water scarcity and the importance of conserving water, but now is the moment to come together as a global population and give this the same attention we give other environmental issues. If we partner we can turn ambition into action and accelerate progress towards a sustainable water future.”

Click here to download Thirst for change: securing a water positive future