Water efficiency NGO Waterwise has published its own White Paper, setting out proposals for the Coalition Government to help meet the challenges of climate change through wasting less water.
The White Paper has mainstreaming water efficiency at its core. In it Waterwise sets out strategic proposals for climate change adaptation and mitigation, resource efficiency, the low carbon and green economy and the big society, over the five years from 2010 to 2015.
- Water efficiency included in the Green Deal energy efficiency retrofitting scheme – at a cost of £40, alongside the £6,500 allocated for energy measures
- Showers to be included in social housing refurbishment and new build
- A toilet scrappage scheme to help householders trade in the 1 million toilets in England which flush at 13 litres for toilets which use a third of that water
- A water meter in every home by 2020 – supported by measures to protect vulnerable groups
- Water efficiency mainstreamed in government adaptation programmes and guidance to business, and linked with insurance discounts
- Using new green financial products such as green mortgages and a renewed Energy Performance Certificate to drive water and energy efficiency measures in homes
- Water neutrality and community-scale water provision and joint retrofitting programmes for energy, water and waste delivered through the big society
- Tackling the economy-wide barrier to sustainability which is the investment bias towards building new plant and equipment over altering and improving existing ones
The White Paper covers the whole of the UK – it calls for measures and clear leadership which can specifically be delivered by the UK government. It will be developed for each of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in the context of 2011 elections.
Waterwise’s White Paper is available to download at www.waterwise.org.uk