Companies Use Billions of Litres of Public Water in Drought

Businesses across England are consuming an average of 2.6 billion litres of public water daily, a figure that includes both potable and non-potable water supplied by water companies. This substantial usage occurs while millions of households are facing hosepipe bans and three-quarters of the country is experiencing drought conditions. According to Mosl, the organisation responsible for operating England’s business water market, businesses collectively account for approximately 30% of the total public supply usage. Critically, two-thirds of this business consumption is concentrated in areas designated as water-stressed, highlighting a significant disparity in water resource allocation.

The revelation comes from an exclusive investigation that found less than 1% of businesses in England are required to report their water usage, and consequently, they are not mandated to reduce their consumption. This lack of transparency and regulation means that while the public faces restrictions, large-scale corporate water use from public supplies often goes unmonitored and unreported. The scale of this daily consumption by businesses is immense, equivalent to the daily water needs of 10 million people, underscoring the potential impact on water availability during periods of scarcity.

Mosl’s data indicates that the total volume of water supplied to businesses daily is 2.6 billion litres. This figure represents a significant portion of the overall public water supply, contributing to the strain on resources, particularly in regions already grappling with water shortages. The fact that a majority of this business consumption occurs in water-stressed areas suggests a critical need for regulatory oversight and a re-evaluation of water allocation policies to ensure equitable distribution and conservation efforts are effective across all sectors.

The investigation underscores a systemic issue where corporate water usage from public sources is largely invisible to regulatory bodies and the public. This lack of mandatory reporting for the majority of businesses means that their contribution to water scarcity is not being adequately addressed. The contrast between public restrictions, such as hosepipe bans, and the largely unscrutinised consumption by businesses presents a significant challenge for water management in England, especially as climate change exacerbates drought conditions.