Water Demand Management (WDM)

The Environment Agency's Water Demand Management mission is:

'To provide a focus for information and expertise to ensure acceptance of water conservation throughout society'.

Water Demand Management (WDM) considers national and international water resources, demand management and water conservation. We work closely with the Government, water companies, regulators, universities, academics and trade bodies on all national and international water demand management issues.

Our WDM activities include:

• advice
• promotion
• technical development
• research

Find out about the latest demand management news in our bulletin:

• Water Demand Management bulletin

If you have any questions about water conservation and demand management please email:

• savewater@environment-agency.gov.uk

More information

• Water conservation publications - we publish a range of free literature about water conservation and demand management.
• Household water metering: Position statement - read about the issues and what we think the solutions are, our role and the role of others, planning for securing public water supplies, current levels of metering and water bills and affordability.

Other long term solutions

Water metering can help people to save water, but there are other opportunities we would like government and the water and construction industries to consider:

• Fitting houses with devices that require less water. A third of water supplied to households is flushed down the toilet; new, lower-flush toilets help to save water and old toilets can easily be fitted with low-flush devices.
• Changing the Building Regulations to require house-builders to put water efficient devices, such as taps, toilets and showers, in new homes.
• Innovative solutions for new housing and commercial developments, such as water recycling and rainwater harvesting.
• Improve and widen range of BMA (Bathroom Manufacturers Association) water efficiency labelling system so that informed choices can be made.
• Widespread promotion to encourage people to be efficient in their use of water.