Two recent reports have highlighted the extensive and serious challenges facing those of us in the UK tasked with managing water.
A Fresh Water Future brought together the views of over 4000 members of the public with those of more than 400 experts and stakeholders. Both public and professionals were aligned calling for a far greater level of priority to be attached to recovering nature and water resilience by the next government.
Three quarters of public say next government should reform water regulation. As a result, the project’s ten recommendations start with a comprehensive, independent review of water policy and regulation after the next general election. Additionally both public and water practitioners want more transparency and assurance that companies are acting in the interest of society and the environment.
The takes the form of a template water management manifesto for the next UK government. It covers all aspects of water management including supply and demand, water quality and catchment management. It has a credible claim to be an independent report.
The Demos report, commissioned by Affinity Water clearly has closer links to a specific water company. As such it steers away from specific recommendations for water company governance, or heaven forbid, renationalisation of the sector. Despite these differences, there are a range of similarities in their findings:
A Fresh Water Future brought together the views of over 4000 members of the public with those of more than 400 experts and stakeholders. Both public and professionals were aligned calling for a far greater level of priority to be attached to recovering nature and water resilience by the next government.
Three quarters of public say next government should reform water regulation. As a result, the project’s ten recommendations start with a comprehensive, independent review of water policy and regulation after the next general election. Additionally both public and water practitioners want more transparency and assurance that companies are acting in the interest of society and the environment.
The takes the form of a template water management manifesto for the next UK government. It covers all aspects of water management including supply and demand, water quality and catchment management. It has a credible claim to be an independent report.
The Demos report, commissioned by Affinity Water clearly has closer links to a specific water company. As such it steers away from specific recommendations for water company governance, or heaven forbid, renationalisation of the sector. Despite these differences, there are a range of similarities in their findings:
- The overwhelming message when these reports are taken together are that “something needs to be done”, and pretty urgently too.
- Both highlight public concern about our water environment and the risks of more frequent demand restrictions or interruptions to water supply.
- Both demonstrate this isn’t just about “green crap”. Failure to address the water sector challenges will have significant economic impacts for the country. The scale of the risks and potential impacts will grow if inaction continues
- Both reports recognise the need for government leadership and direction for water management
- Both understand the holistic nature of water management and the need to co-ordinate across a wide range of stakeholders
Although both these reports made some ripples in the water sector itself, their failure to have any cut through with the mainstream media is instructive. There are plenty of stories about the failures of the current water management system and water company performance in particular, but sadly very little on how we could help to solve the problems faced by the sector.
