At the October meeting of the National Drought Group, chaired by Environment Agency Chief Executive Sir James Bevan, members discussed projections for a dry autumn and winter, and what effect this will have for next year.
The group concluded that even if England does see average rainfall levels over winter, this won’t be enough to avoid droughts or drought conditions in 2023. This announcement is an urgent warning which must lead to fast-tracked action, says Stantec, a global leader in sustainable engineering and design.
Stantec’s Mark Tindale, Operations Director – Water at Stantec, is calling for a continued focus on delivery of Strategic Resource Options to help prevent multi-year droughts across England.
Mark Tindale
Commenting on the news, Mark said:
“This most recent, stark announcement from the National Drought Group reaffirms the need for urgent, accelerated intervention from decision-makers across the water sector and built environment.
“Setting and achieving ambitious targets on per capita water consumption and reducing leakage are both critical factors in ensuring resilience against multi-year droughts; yet clear plans as to how this will be achieved are still needed. Working with water companies, we must encourage and accelerate behavioural change as well as make greater use of digital, smart leak detection and monitoring tools if such targets are to be met.
“The delivery of new water resource infrastructure is also critical to improved drought resilience, and this is already in play through the Strategic Resource Options (SROs), a national programme built around a new set of supply options which will help ensure our long-term resilience against extreme drought. This includes options for greater wastewater recycling for potable use, as well as new reservoirs and transfers across England.
“The importance of keeping these projects on track and delivering new resources quickly cannot be overstated. The water sector, regulators, consultants, and policymakers must keep the momentum up to ensure these schemes are driven through planning and into supply.
“The current drought is a reminder of the importance of improved resilience to drought. Not long ago the world was focussed on avoiding “Day Zero” in Cape Town – the day when taps would run dry. In England, we must act now to make sure that we can reduce per capita consumption, increase efficiency in wastewater recycling, and develop the infrastructure we need to ensure that we do not reach our own Day Zero; once we are in drought our options are far more limited.
“The Environment agency has said that the solution to droughts requires all of us to work together – government, water companies, regulators, farmers and businesses, and individuals. At Stantec, we are at the forefront of delivering SROs; bringing our global expertise in wastewater recycling and guiding major water resource schemes through the planning, design and procurement process. We know we need to act before it’s too late and rethink the way we manage water.”
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