Waterwise response to South East Water consultation on draft Water Resources Management Plan 2019

Waterwise responded to a select group of WRMPs to help raise ambition on water efficiency. We will be holding a Supporter Only event and launching a report on water efficiency in WRMP19 later in 2018.

The key elements of our response included:

• We note  – and welcome – that South East Water has achieved an average 18% reduction through their metering programme and will have 90% metering by 2020
• We support the innovative approach to behaviour economics and proposed step change in water efficiency
• This step change isn’t reflected in an ambitious reduction in per capita consumption, forecast to only reduce to 140 l/p/d by 2044/45. We suggest that by 2045 the per capita consumption target should be around 100l/p/d, with milestones towards this set out at intervals and reflected in the business plan for PR19
• Waterwise recommends South East Water include a broader range of water efficiency actions in their baseline or final options in order to support greater ambition on reducing per capita consumption
• Given higher water efficiency is the second highest priority for customers willingness to pay, this should be better reflected in the final WRMP
• South East Water has been proactive in engaging retailers and suggesting joint non-household water efficiency options. Waterwise recommends that the impacts of discussions with retailers on the final non-household demand forecast and on joint options be clearly communicated in the final WRMP.