Climate change
Global warming is likely to result in hotter, drier summers and milder, wetter winters. We also expect to experience more extreme weather events (such as droughts or flooding) in the future.
As a result of climate change, we can expect greater demand for water in the summer as people bathe, shower or water their gardens more frequently.
On average, about 6 per cent of household water is used in the garden, but on hot days this can already rise to over 50 per cent.
The amount of water businesses use is also likely to rise as air conditioning is increasingly used to cool offices and IT systems, for example. Farmers and the agricultural industry are also expected to be affected; climate change is predicted to result in soils being able to hold less moisture, meaning that more water for crops is likely to be needed.
This increased demand for water will come at a time when our existing water resources are under increasing pressure. Climate change will reduce the period when our groundwater sources can refill and will reduce summer rainfall. As a result, managing demand for water though activities like wider water metering and water efficiency programmes to encourage people to use water wisely will be increasingly important in adapting to the impacts of climate change. New sources of water will also need to be developed.
Did you know?
- The water industry emits about 1 per cent of the UK's greenhouse gases
- Thames Water generates 14 per cent of its own energy needs from renewable sources, such as using methane produced from sewage treatment. We aim to raise this to 18 per cent by 2010.
- Climate change is estimated to reduce the available water for London by over 100 million litres a day by 2025
- By 2080, sea level rise combined with water from storms could raise the level of the River Thames by over two metres
