Latest news with #waterusage
Bloomberg
7 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Arizona's Water Drought Reality
A cheeseburger uses a lot more water than a ChatGPT request. Arizona's water is vanishing before AI gets a crack at it, explains Bloomberg Opinion columnist Mark Gongloff. (Source: Bloomberg)
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Brace for the 'bathtime tax'… Bigger families face being punished with huge bills as Labour 'backs plans to ramp up charges on high users'
Families have been warned to brace for a 'bathtime tax' as ministers back plans to ramp up costs for higher water users. The government has voiced support for suppliers testing new tariffs that penalise households consuming the most. That could include 'seasonal' charges, meaning water would cost more in the summer. Trials have also been taking place for 'rising block' tariffs, where prices get steeper the more you use. But the Tories warned that the 'punitive' arrangements would deal a hammer blow to young parents, at a time when water costs are rising across the board anyway. Alarm has been sounded over water supplies after the driest start to spring in England for almost 70 years. Companies have been urging the government to get behind variable tariffs, which they argue would cut bills for many households with lower consumption. However, that would almost certainly require smart meters being installed in all homes to provide real-time data on usage. The government has voiced support for suppliers testing new tariffs that penalise households consuming the most Currently only around 12 per cent of households in England are though to have smart meters, with conventional meters far more common. Periodic readings have to be taken from those. Around 60 per cent of homes in England are currently metered, but the vast majority of those have a conventional meter from which periodic readings are taken. The Government estimates that only 12 per cent have smart meters, which are connected to the internet and provide data directly to the utility company. Answering a Parliamentary question from Tory frontbencher Kevin Hollinrake, water minister Emma Hardy said last month: 'This Government supports the innovative approaches being taken to trial new charges aiming to make bills fairer and more affordable. 'All companies plan to trial new charging structures by 2030 and some of them plan to introduce them more widely for additional customers if the trials are successful. 'Companies can design their charges to provide benefits and incentives in a range of ways. 'As the water regulator, Ofwat regulates the charging trials by issuing rules that require companies to set fair charges for all customers, and to ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles.' Mr Hollinrake said: 'Labour want to levy socialist-inspired tariffs to punish those who have worked hard to improve their homes and gardens. 'This is a Net Zero stealth tax on children's bathtime.' A Government spokesman denied there was any plan to legislate on smart meters or 'progressive' tariffs. 'This is complete nonsense. The Government has no such plans,' the spokeswoman said. A Labour source added: 'This is absolute rubbish from the same Conservative Party that broke our water industry. 'After their rule, water bills skyrocketed and we had record levels of sewage being pumped into our rivers.' Ofwat has previously called on companies to consider charging customers a premium for hot tubs, swimming pools or extensive sprinkler systems. It has also suggested companies look at seasonal charging to help lower bills in winter – or at whether bills could be reduced for homes with water butts and permeable driveways.
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Business
- Russia Today
EU to call on members to reduce water consumption
The European Commission is reportedly planning to call on EU member states to cut water use by at least 10 percent by 2030, according to a draft plan seen by the Financial Times. The legislation would mark the Commission's first water-usage reduction directive in the history of the EU. The proposal comes amid rising concerns about droughts and groundwater depletion following increasingly frequent wildfires and catastrophic flooding which have cost the EU billions and has reduced water reserves to previously unseen levels. 'We need to think about how we need to use water more efficiently,' EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall told the outlet, stressing that 'when we have a shower, we need to think about it.' A ban on refilling swimming pools is already in place across southern Europe. Haris Sachinis, CEO of Greek water company Eydap, has warned that Athens could completely run out of water within two years if dry conditions persist. Cypriot Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou has warned that 2025 could be the island's third consecutive drought year and among the eight worst for water reserves in half a century. Sweden has also imposed bans on watering gardens with a hose in some areas while In France and Spain, disputes over dams and water rights have fueled tensions between farmers and environmentalists. Last year, the EU's environmental policies, including limits on pesticide use and water usage reductions, led to widespread protests from farmers and agricultural groups across the bloc, including in France, Spain, Germany, and Poland. The EC's draft plan calls for greater investment in the bloc's leaking infrastructure. The EurEau industry group has estimated that some 25% of EU water is lost through pipe leaks, with some countries such as Bulgaria losing up to 60%. The Commission has estimated that €23 billion ($26 billion) is needed annually for upgrades. The European Investment Bank also plans to offer €15 billion ($17 billion) in loans and guarantees between 2025 and 2027 to support the effort. Additionally, researchers found that only 2.4% of water is currently reused in the EU, a figure Brussels wants to raise. Although the savings target is not binding, the Commission is encouraging national targets and better data collection. A recent climate assessment found that only a 'limited number' of countries have adopted water resilience measures. The proposal follows a 2023 warning about rising competition for water and potential cross-border conflicts. The European Central Bank has separately warned that water scarcity poses a financial threat, with surface water shortages potentially affecting nearly 15% of eurozone GDP.
Russia Today
7 days ago
- Business
- Russia Today
EU to order members to reduce water consumption
The European Commission is reportedly planning to call on EU member states to cut water use by at least 10 percent by 2030, according to a draft plan seen by the Financial Times. The legislation would mark the Commission's first water-usage reduction directive in the history of the EU. The proposal comes amid rising concerns about droughts and groundwater depletion following increasingly frequent wildfires and catastrophic flooding which have cost the EU billions and has reduced water reserves to previously unseen levels. 'We need to think about how we need to use water more efficiently,' EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall told the outlet, stressing that 'when we have a shower, we need to think about it.' A ban on refilling swimming pools is already in place across southern Europe. Haris Sachinis, CEO of Greek water company Eydap, has warned that Athens could completely run out of water within two years if dry conditions persist. Cypriot Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou has warned that 2025 could be the island's third consecutive drought year and among the eight worst for water reserves in half a century. Sweden has also imposed bans on watering gardens with a hose in some areas while In France and Spain, disputes over dams and water rights have fueled tensions between farmers and environmentalists. Last year, the EU's environmental policies, including limits on pesticide use and water usage reductions, led to widespread protests from farmers and agricultural groups across the bloc, including in France, Spain, Germany, and Poland. The EC's draft plan calls for greater investment in the bloc's leaking infrastructure. The EurEau industry group has estimated that some 25% of EU water is lost through pipe leaks, with some countries such as Bulgaria losing up to 60%. The Commission has estimated that €23 billion ($26 billion) is needed annually for upgrades. The European Investment Bank also plans to offer €15 billion ($17 billion) in loans and guarantees between 2025 and 2027 to support the effort. Additionally, researchers found that only 2.4% of water is currently reused in the EU, a figure Brussels wants to raise. Although the savings target is not binding, the Commission is encouraging national targets and better data collection. A recent climate assessment found that only a 'limited number' of countries have adopted water resilience measures. The proposal follows a 2023 warning about rising competition for water and potential cross-border conflicts. The European Central Bank has separately warned that water scarcity poses a financial threat, with surface water shortages potentially affecting nearly 15% of eurozone GDP.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
'No plans' to impose hosepipe ban in region, says Anglian Water
A water company confirmed it currently had "no plans" to enforce a hosepipe ban in the East of England but said "we can all do our bit" to reduce water Environment Agency warned water firms at the start of May that action would need to be taken to safeguard water supplies over the coming came after the Met Office confirmed this April was the sunniest in the UK since records began 115 years ago - with 47% more hours of sunshine than usual for the this, Anglian Water said it was not looking to restrict how much water households can use for so-called non-essential activities like washing cars. "We currently have no plans for a hosepipe ban this summer, following a wet start to last winter and plenty of rain the year before," a spokesperson told the BBC."However, we can all do our bit to reduce how much we use, so we can manage demand for water when the weather heats up." Although there is not currently a drought in England, the Environment Agency previously said there was a "medium risk" of one this Met Office, meanwhile, reported parts of the region saw their sunniest March on record, with the UK experiencing its driest March conditions since drier temperatures left farmers concerned that their crops would struggle to grow, with some taking drastic action to mitigate the April, for example, Elveden Farms, close to the border between Suffolk and Norfolk, said it was in the process of building its third water reservoir, costing about £ Blenkiron, managing director, said: "It is a significant investment but we see it as one of the only ways that we're going to guarantee our supply of water throughout the season." Residents in the region, however, seemed less concerned, instead embracing the warmer weather after an 18-month period between October 2022 and March 2024 which was England's wettest."I love it hot but it's not hot enough for me – I want it to be like Dubai," said Imogen Ainsley, while on a seafront walk in friend, Jo Elliot, agreed, and said she believed "people seemed happier" when the sun came out. "It's just nice and it lifts everyone's spirits," she added. Pensioner Roy Day also told the BBC he would prefer the weather to be even warmer – ideally at least 21C."I do not like the wet and I feel a lot better for seeing the sun," he a business point of view, Johnny Mannings, who runs Mannings Amusements and Beach Street in Felixstowe, said it "makes all the difference"."You are at the mercy of the weather and the weather makes all the difference, it is probably the most important factor in how busy we are," he said. How can I reduce my water usage? Although Anglian Water is not looking to impose a hosepipe ban, it did say it was "never too soon to start being water-wise".Here's the water company's top tips for saving water this summer:Leave a jug of tap water in the fridge to cool down rather than running the tap until it's cold. Make sure you stay safe and hydrated in the you've already filled the paddling pool for the day, don't empty it. You can save loads on your water bill by using gentle disinfectant tablets that keep the paddling pool water fresh for days. If you can't save the paddling pool for another day, make sure you reuse the to love your brown lawn – leave the sprinkler in the shed this summer. Grass is extremely hard to kill. Your lawn will soon bounce back and be vibrant and green again once the rain your bath or washing-up water to top up your water butt to use on your showers to just five minutes a day can help save each household an approximate 7396 gallons (28,000 litres) of water and over £100 in energy and water every year. Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk.
