Personal water targets – what are they, how would they work and is there a water shortage in England?
Much of the South East could be hit by shortages over the coming decades as rainfall declines while the population increases
IT may seem hard to believe but England could run out of water sometime soon.
Experts fear crippling droughts are in the pipeline if we waste too much of our supplies.
What are personal water targets?
The Environment Agency wants people to have a personal water target and has urged them to use water more wisely.
If no action is taken to reduce demand and increase supplies of water, most areas will not be able to meet demand if climate change is severe and population growth is high, the report said.
It also stated that "many areas will face significant ,
particularly in the south east".
The agency revealed it would work with the government and water industry "to agree a personal consumption target".
How would they work?
The agency has not released details on how it would work.
But already metres are fitted to many homes which monitor water usage.
Incentives could encourage people to aim to keep within limits.
They advised people to go to check out .
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Is there a water shortage in England?
Not at the moment - not yet.
But England's population is growing, and is set to rise to 58.5million by 2026, putting even more stress on water supplies.
Taking too much water out of the environment can harm wildlife such as fish, birds and aquatic plants, and damage wetlands which are important habitats for a host of animals and plants.
And in the future, with climate change, river flows are predicted to increase in the winter and decrease in the summer, which along with drier conditions because of warmer temperatures could have a greater effect on wildlife.
More stagnant water during droughts and higher temperatures could also lead to the spread of mosquito borne diseases such as dengue fever and West Nile virus, the report warned.
Droughts could also cause waterborne diseases, breathing problems from increased dust, stress and anxiety.
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