Planning the next 10 years
October 1st 2009 Waterwise launches its stakeholder consultation – planning for the next ten years
Jacob Tompkins, director,Waterwise reports
We are currently
experiencing a crucial
time for water efficiency
here in the UK with the UK Climate
Impacts Programmes releasing the
UK Climate Projections earlier in
2009 stating that we are going to
experience wetter winters and drier
summers with more droughts and
floods.At the same time the energy
and hot water nexus is becoming
increasingly apparent with 5% of
UK's greenhouse gas emissions
coming from domestic hot water –
that's more than the aviation
industry – and 25% of the average
household energy bill coming from
heating hot water. With all this in
mind,Waterwise has launched its
consultation document aiming to
gather the views of our stakeholders
on the future of water efficiency and
how to scale it up, and to help shape
the future of our organisation.
Since Waterwise was established in
September 2005, there has been a lot
of progress towards a more water
efficient society here in the UK.We
have seen a huge rise in the
availability, quality and affordability of
water efficient devices, as well as
water efficient labelling initiatives
including our own Waterwise Marque
which has now been awarded to over
60 products, ranging from the 2-way
bath waste and the droughtbuster to
recycle bath water, and an Indesit
dishwasher which uses as little as 13
litres per cycle, to various optimised
showerheads including the
HansGrohe Crometta and the
Ecocamel, to the Cistermiser infrared
sensor. In the four years since
Waterwise was established we have
seen a shift in attitudes of retailers,
the media and the public,and we
have seen water feature more in
education in classrooms across the
country .We have seen large-scale
water efficiency programmes being
proposed by water companies and
funded by the regulator.We have
seen a growing awareness of the
carbon impacts of water use and the
development of closer links between
the water and energy agenda.We
have seen a consensus that the UK
should move towards full metering
and a political will to make this
happen.We have seen the
development of a more robust
evidence base for water efficiency in
terms of its cost/benefit and of its
water saving potential. And because
of all of these actions and more,we
have seen a stabilisation of per capita
consumption of water.
Waterwise has played a key role in
starting the water efficiency agenda
and in facilitating change and now
Waterwise itself is changing.
Waterwise was established with a
five year remit to reduce per capita
consumption and to establish a
framework to ensure that future
demand was constrained.As the
current phase of Waterwise comes
to an end there is a consensus that
there is a continuing role for an
independent water efficiency body.
We would like to see a new
Waterwise focus more on the actual
delivery of water efficiency
measures and to concentrate on the
mechanics of delivery, addressing
issues such as linking water
efficiency and affordability,
exploring the role of water service
companies, and helping shape the
retrofit of existing buildings and of
public and business premises.
As part of the process of
developing the new Waterwise we
are gathering views on the future of
water efficiency and how to scale it
up.Waterwise has launched a
discussion document intended to
stimulate debate and a process of
consultation.The discussion
document outlines the context for
water efficiency, discusses why
action is still required and identifies
some options for the future to drive
water efficiency, thereby ensuring
that our society can adapt to the
climate change projections that UK
Climate Impacts Programme.
The discussion document raises
key questions and Waterwise
welcomes feedback from all our
stakeholders, especially retailers and
manufacturers who we hope to
continue our close working
relationship with.We are also happy
to meet with stakeholders to discuss
the paper, and how we can develop
further partnerships.Waterwise will
be holding the Fifth Annual Water
Efficiency Conference on 22-23
March 2010 at Keble College,Oxford,
when plans for the future of
Waterwise – post September 2010 –
will be presented.The results of the
consultation will help to influence
the agenda on water efficiency and
will help shape the necessary actions
that will take water efficiency into
the mainstream in the UK.
To read the full Waterwise
stakeholder consultation, to see a
full list of Waterwise Marque
winning products, to register for the
fifth annual Waterwise conference,
and to read our Annual Report for
2008 – 2009, please visit the
Waterwise website:
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