Photo by Steffen Coonan

Last year, the UK government announced plans to deliver 1.5 million new homes in England. However, a new report by Public First warns that 61,600 homes are unlikely to materialise in the next five years due to water scarcity, with local authorities in the east and south-east of England facing the biggest threats to their building plans.

A lack of water capacity in these regions means that housebuilders may struggle to get approval for development projects. The figures cited in the research account for almost 40% of the additional housing required annually in those regions under the Government’s housing targets. It is estimated that water scarcity could cost the UK economy as much as £25 billion over the next five years.

The study proposes the creation of “water smart” homes that would use 30% less water than the current standard for new homes, reporting this would enable 49,000 new homes to be built across those regions. Public First also surveyed more than 4,000 people across the UK, finding that 75% of the public would be willing to use rainwater or greywater as part of water reuse initiatives to combat water scarcity.