Written question WQ86119

The Welsh Government works closely with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) on a number of issues including water quality, water resource management, incident management and resilience and security matters. In relation to water efficiency, we engage with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) through a network facilitated by Waterwise, the organisation supported by water companies and regulators focussed on finding ways to facilitate the reduction of water consumption in the UK, to increase public awareness of the benefits of using water wisely, and to identify ways of reducing consumption.

For example we are working the UK, Scottish and Northern Irish Government’s to develop a water labelling scheme for water using products such as taps, showers, toilets, dishwashers and washing machines so that consumers have this information when purchasing these products and are currently undertaking a joint public consultation.

https://gov.wales/mandatory-water-efficiency-labelling

The Welsh Government’s statutory Guidance to Ofwat, the economic regulator of the water industry requires Ofwat, through it’s regulation of the water companies to encourage and incentivise the sustainable and efficient use of water resources by encouraging companies to reduce leakage and customer consumption.

This includes setting challenging but achievable targets for reducing per capita household consumption and leakage and implementing strategies for increasing public awareness and encouraging customer behaviour change.

DCWW have been set targets for the price review period 2020 – 2025, and we are working with Ofwat, and the water companies to develop challenging targets for the next water price review period from 2025- 2030. Where they do not meet these targets they are held to account, and may incur financial penalties.

DCWW must also set out in their statutory Water Resource Management Plans the steps they will take to reduce water consumption. They will shortly be consulting publicly on their plan for 2025 – 2030. Our Guiding Principles require them to them consider how they can reduce demand for water through water efficiency, increasing public awareness of the value of water and reducing leakage. https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2021-12/water-resources-management-plan-guidance-2022.pdf

A senior Welsh Government official chairs the Wales Drought Liaison Group which brings together the water companies, local authorities (private water supplies), NRW, Public Health Wales, farming unions, Consumer Council for Water and Ofwat. During the current period of low rainfall it has co-ordinated messaging to water users on the need to use water carefully, and how they can do this.

We all have a responsibility to use water sustainably – at all times. We continue to work with water companies and Natural Resources Wales, the regulatory body responsible for managing water resources in Wales, to better ensure our use of water has the interests of future generations at its heart.