Here's why England could face water shortages of 5bn litres a day by the 2050s
England could face water shortages of five billion litres a day by 2055 if action isn't taken now, Environment Agency officials have warned.
Climate change, a growing population and environmental pressures could lead to the shortfall by that decade, they have claimed.
The shortfall is the equivalent of a third of the country's current daily use, or enough to fill Wembley Stadium four-and-a-half times over each day.
The highly populated south-east region of England faces the biggest shortfall, with an estimated extra two billion litres of water a day needed between 2030 and 2055.
We are experiencing the driest spring in over a century. The National Drought Group met today, and will continue to meet monthly to update drought plans and increase operational responses as dry weather continues over the summer. Read more: https://t.co/447fH2AwYh pic.twitter.com/ENuiHdH02n
— Environment Agency (@EnvAgency) June 5, 2025
These findings come as part of the Environment Agency's national framework for water resources, which is published every five years.
This sets out the actions needed by utilities, regulators and businesses and the public to manage under-pressure resources.
The Environment Agency warns that the population of England is set to increase by eight million by 2055.
This will increase the demand for water for everything from washing and appliances to leisure activities on golf courses and sports pitches.
The organisation also says that climate change is likely to reduce the amount of available water, with hotter, drier summers limiting resources and increasing demand from households.
At the same time, the amount taken from rivers and groundwater will need to be reduced to protect wildlife and the environment.
It comes in the wake of England's hottest spring on record, and the country's driest for more than 100 years.
It's going to be another warm week; keeping hydrated is essential. Have a reusable bottle filled with tap water in the fridge saves running the tap until it's cold each time 💧. A simple change like this, means we can all enjoy more this summer.#SouthEastWater💦 #SimpleChanges pic.twitter.com/7XFa6ItMAg
— South East Water (@sewateruk) June 16, 2025
The Environment Agency is recommending that water companies manage the demand for the resource from houses and businesses, as well as halve the amount lost to leaks.
They are also calling for more reservoirs and desalination plants to be built, which turn seawater into drinkable water.
The agency wants to see a rollout of smart meters, including upgrading existing standard meters, which it said would help households reduce their water use.
They also said it would continue to work with the Government on a mandatory efficiency labelling scheme for appliances such as dishwashers, toilets and showers.
Environment Agency chairman Alan Lovell said: 'The nation's water resources are under huge and steadily increasing pressure.
'This deficit threatens not only the water from your tap but also economic growth and food production.
We may have had some rain 🌧️ but reduced reservoir levels and damage to ecosystems have affected many regions. Help preserve water supplies and the natural environment. Learn how you can help today: https://t.co/hCCC1388Xw pic.twitter.com/IAYlCCqowj
— CCW - The voice for water consumers (@CCWvoice) June 12, 2025
'Taking water unsustainably from the environment will have a disastrous impact on our rivers and wildlife.
'We need to tackle these challenges head on and strengthen work on co-ordinated action to preserve this precious resource and our current way of life.'
There are a number of ways to reduce your water usage at home, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
One of those is to reduce the time spent in the shower, keeping it between three and five minutes, and using a timer to make sure you don't go over.
It also recommends filling up your kettle only as much as you need and making sure you have a full load before putting on the dishwasher.
Recommended reading:
I compared £1.39 to £200 dehumidifiers in autumn – which one saved my house?
Use your washing machine during this 'magic hour' to slash your energy bills
The genius water bowl hack that cleans an entire oven in just 20 minutes
Elsewhere, the WWF recommends not keeping the tap running when brushing your teeth, as that can waste as much as six litres of water a minute.
Filling a bowl when you're doing the washing up can also be useful.
They add: "Filling a bowl with water – and cleaning the cleanest items first – means you're unlikely to need to change the water and will save a huge amount of water in comparison to washing everything under the tap."
Additionally, fitting low-flow aerators on your taps and showers means that you get the same water pressure but use much less water.
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Here's why England could face water shortages of 5bn litres a day by the 2050s
England could face water shortages of five billion litres a day by 2055 if action isn't taken now, Environment Agency officials have warned. Climate change, a growing population and environmental pressures could lead to the shortfall by that decade, they have claimed. The shortfall is the equivalent of a third of the country's current daily use, or enough to fill Wembley Stadium four-and-a-half times over each day. The highly populated south-east region of England faces the biggest shortfall, with an estimated extra two billion litres of water a day needed between 2030 and 2055. We are experiencing the driest spring in over a century. The National Drought Group met today, and will continue to meet monthly to update drought plans and increase operational responses as dry weather continues over the summer. Read more: — Environment Agency (@EnvAgency) June 5, 2025 These findings come as part of the Environment Agency's national framework for water resources, which is published every five years. This sets out the actions needed by utilities, regulators and businesses and the public to manage under-pressure resources. The Environment Agency warns that the population of England is set to increase by eight million by 2055. This will increase the demand for water for everything from washing and appliances to leisure activities on golf courses and sports pitches. The organisation also says that climate change is likely to reduce the amount of available water, with hotter, drier summers limiting resources and increasing demand from households. At the same time, the amount taken from rivers and groundwater will need to be reduced to protect wildlife and the environment. It comes in the wake of England's hottest spring on record, and the country's driest for more than 100 years. It's going to be another warm week; keeping hydrated is essential. Have a reusable bottle filled with tap water in the fridge saves running the tap until it's cold each time 💧. A simple change like this, means we can all enjoy more this summer.#SouthEastWater💦 #SimpleChanges — South East Water (@sewateruk) June 16, 2025 The Environment Agency is recommending that water companies manage the demand for the resource from houses and businesses, as well as halve the amount lost to leaks. They are also calling for more reservoirs and desalination plants to be built, which turn seawater into drinkable water. The agency wants to see a rollout of smart meters, including upgrading existing standard meters, which it said would help households reduce their water use. They also said it would continue to work with the Government on a mandatory efficiency labelling scheme for appliances such as dishwashers, toilets and showers. Environment Agency chairman Alan Lovell said: 'The nation's water resources are under huge and steadily increasing pressure. 'This deficit threatens not only the water from your tap but also economic growth and food production. We may have had some rain 🌧️ but reduced reservoir levels and damage to ecosystems have affected many regions. Help preserve water supplies and the natural environment. Learn how you can help today: — CCW - The voice for water consumers (@CCWvoice) June 12, 2025 'Taking water unsustainably from the environment will have a disastrous impact on our rivers and wildlife. 'We need to tackle these challenges head on and strengthen work on co-ordinated action to preserve this precious resource and our current way of life.' There are a number of ways to reduce your water usage at home, according to the Energy Saving Trust. One of those is to reduce the time spent in the shower, keeping it between three and five minutes, and using a timer to make sure you don't go over. It also recommends filling up your kettle only as much as you need and making sure you have a full load before putting on the dishwasher. Recommended reading: I compared £1.39 to £200 dehumidifiers in autumn – which one saved my house? Use your washing machine during this 'magic hour' to slash your energy bills The genius water bowl hack that cleans an entire oven in just 20 minutes Elsewhere, the WWF recommends not keeping the tap running when brushing your teeth, as that can waste as much as six litres of water a minute. Filling a bowl when you're doing the washing up can also be useful. They add: "Filling a bowl with water – and cleaning the cleanest items first – means you're unlikely to need to change the water and will save a huge amount of water in comparison to washing everything under the tap." Additionally, fitting low-flow aerators on your taps and showers means that you get the same water pressure but use much less water.
