Answered by Nick Ellins, Head of Consumer Strategy at Water UK
Given the dry summer this year, do the experts believe that the UK should invest in a national water grid?
The quick answer is that given the evidence we have at this time, it is no. There are different aspects to consider though when answering this legitimate question. Unlike gas and electricity, water is heavy. The average family of four uses water weighing about two-thirds of a tonne each day. Transporting it over large distances would require major engineering work and pumping operations that would consume large amounts of expensive energy. Water is also relatively cheap. Crude oil costs over £200 per cubic metre, making it worthwhile to move over long distances. At around 80p per cubic metre, moving water over even greater distances could potentially mean a significant increase in costs and customer bills.
The value of a national grid is also questioned on environmental grounds. First, it is true that some parts of the country have more available water than others, but nowhere is immune from drought. Some parts of Wales and the Midlands have below average levels and one of this year’s serious water shortages occurred in Dundee. Given the uncertainty of the weather it would be wrong to assume that any area has surplus water. Second, transferring large volumes of water away from an area is likely to cause big changes in the local ecology, changes that many would see as damaging to flora and fauna. It is far better to work with nature, which means where possible confining bulk movements of water within individual river catchments. Water companies already move water extensively within regions and river catchments to keep the water flowing when the local supply is affected for example by shortage of rain or a burst main. In recent years they have invested heavily in better connections between their own supply zones and also in cooperation with neighbouring companies where cross-boundary connections are the most cost-effective way to secure supplies for all.
Third, transferring large volumes of water into an area could also pose problems for the local ecology. As is well known, the chemical composition of water is different in different parts of the country and the potential effect on habitats and species could be significant.
Water UK believes that through a combination of medium and long-term measures, adequate water resources can be available to meet society's needs within environmental limits. It is a matter of managing demand and enhancing supply within regions To really make it effective though, all the key stakeholders in water must work together - from planning right through to consumer demand. No single group - the government for example or the water companies - can alone ensure security of supply because there is no single magic answer.
