Rivers may run dry

Recent press reports have again highlighted the pressures on national water-supplies and the consequences if steps are not taken now to reduce consumption.

All the main national newspapers have now carried articles outlining the likely effect on national rivers if water continues to be extracted at current rates; within a relatively short number of years substantially reduced summer flow-rates are predicted.

Alongside this scenario, the press have also been reporting that the fitting of water meters is to become mandatory. Water meters are shown to play a useful role in reducing mains water consumption, although some claim that this can have a unfair impact on the poor.

So far, articles such as the above have failed to draw the link between reducing national mains water consumption, and the widespread introduction of rainwater harvesting, which reduce domestic consumption by around 50% without any adverse social and environmental effects.

Use for commercial and industrial applications, this mains water saving can rise to in excess of 80% on any building that combines a large roof, with a high demand for non-potable for applications such as toilet flushing, clothes washing and outside use.