The Mayor's draft water strategy - london.gov.uk - Greater London ...

22 The Mayor’s draft water strategy
enhancement where the environment is
most degraded.
• Sustainable communities. Sustainable
communities should embody the
principles of sustainable development at
the local level.
1.18 One of the primary reasons for preparing this
Water Strategy is to move towards greater
sustainability in London. The government
has charged the Environment Agency,
and more recently Ofwat and Consumer
Council for Water, with a duty to promote
sustainable development. One part of this
is about achieving more with less. In doing
so, it is wider than just the infrastructure
and the provision of water services; it is also
about people’s attitudes and behaviours.
As the demand for water rises across the
whole of the south east of England (see
paragraphs 2.7), London can no longer rely
solely on drawing in ever more water from
the surrounding counties as its population
grows. London must start to use the water
that it already has more effectively.
1.19 There is a perception that ‘efficient water
use’ is synonymous with ‘a poorer service’.
This is a myth. For instance, a toilet flush
volume of four and a half litres can provide
the same performance as a flush volume of
seven litres. Dual-flush toilets are common
in many countries but are still unusual in
the UK. Similarly the use of reclaimed water
(such as rainwater or grey water) for nonpotable
needs improves water efficiency
as well as helps to lessen the load on the
drainage infrastructure.
1.20 Clear objectives and targets should support
each step towards sustainable development.
The Mayor wants to ensure that over the
years to 2031, London excels among global
cities – expanding opportunities for all
its people and enterprises, achieving the
highest environmental standards and quality
of life and leading the world in its approach
to tackling the urban challenges of the 21st
century. The following three key objectives
and principles for water management in
London are therefore proposed as the basis
for translating this vision into specific actions
in the later chapters of this strategy.
Objectives
• To use the water London already has
more effectively and efficiently. The
majority of London’s water supplies come
from the rivers Thames and Lee upstream
of the tidal reaches, and it is unrealistic
to view London in isolation from the
upstream freshwater catchments. As the
demand for water rises across the whole
Thames basin, London can no longer just
rely on drawing in ever more water to meet
their needs. Instead, it needs to use the
water that it already has more effectively
and efficiently, reducing leakage, reducing
demand for water and simultaneously
reducing carbon emissions.
• To minimise the release of untreated
wastewater and diffuse pollution into
the water environment. Untreated
wastewater can find its way into London’s
rivers and watercourses via the drainage
system. The design of the combined sewer
system and sewage treatment works allow