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Revealed: How Britain's 'massive' water consumption threatens world supplies

Last updated at 13:24pm on 20.08.08

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Britain has become the world's sixth largest importer of water - threatening world supplies, new figures have revealed.

Just 38 per cent of our consumption comes from domestic sources, with the rest  'virtually shipped in' from countries facing serious shortages.

The average person uses 4,645 litres of water every day.

Drinking and washing use up just 150 litres, then there are the 'hidden' gallons used in the production of our food and clothing.

A man walks with a dog along a dry cracked reservoir bed in Alcora, eastern Spain

Drying up: The WWF warns about the impact our food imports have on suppliers such as Spain, above

Reducing our consumption of this 'virtual water' is a major environmental necessity, according to research by the World Wildlife Fund.

The WWF report - the first attempt to quantify our water footprint and its impact - is being unveiled to a meeting of international experts in Stockholm this week.

It urges modern businesses to change production patterns which are leading to the slow death of vital streams and rivers.

Only Brazil, Mexico, Japan, China and Italy come higher in the league of importers of virtual water.

The charity's water expert Stuart Orr said: 'What's particularly worrying is that huge amounts of the water and cotton we consume are grown in drier areas of the world where water resources are either already stressed or very likely to become so in the near future.'

Water-starved countries which supply the UK with substantial imports include Spain, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Israel, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, which are all facing acute shortages.

Poorer countries typically subsist on just 1,000 litres of water per day - less than a quarter of the British average.

Much of this disparity is down to diet. A meat-and-dairy based diet consumes around 5,000 litres of virtual water per day, compared to just 2,000 litres for a vegetarian.

Experts say fresh water is being talked of as the 'new oil' at this week's World Water Forum in Sweden, as it is increasingly seen as a valuable and finite resource.

British retailers are already reportedly examining how much of their food comes from areas where water reserves are running out.

Marks & Spencer is working with WWF to calculate the water footprint of its entire food and clothing range, and may relocate key crops.

M&S's technical director David Gregory said the company had already started auditing the water footprint of five crops - strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes and roses.

'We are already in discussion with WWF about out decisions about where to grow crops in the future,' he told the Guardian.

The report will put pressure on British supermarkets, which rely on southern Spain for salad crops such as lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers throughout the winter.

Sainsbury's agronomist Debbie Winstanley said the supermarket was looking at security of supplies 10 years ahead, due to 'massive challenges' with crops based in places such as Murcia in southern Spain.

She said: 'From our point of view we've got to look at where our growers are going to get their water from.'


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Anon

What a damning indictment on the British outlook. While a significant proportion of the World does not have safe drinking water, and while we have the Victorians to thank for supplying us with safe drinking water, you complain that the 'taste' makes you feel ill.

You should try drinking water out of a Cholera infected well and see how that makes you feel.

I've never read anything quite like those comments!

- George, London

To Albert Swift, Aberdeen, Scotland. It is people like you and your attitude who take the 'Great' out of Britain do not brand everyone from England as having the same thoughts as you. You only call yourselves British when it suits, otherwise your are from Scotland.

As for buying water, I do and will continue to do so, until this government, local authorities and water companies can get the taste right and I do not have to discard countless cups of tea, coffee, water etc because it is so chemically treated and makes me feel ill.

- Anon, UK

Yet again, the liberal apologists blame the British for all the world's ills. Just for that, I'll leave my tap on overnight just to annoy you just a little bit more.

- Tangomike, Kensington, London

I wonder where all the water that used to exist has gone, has it been stolen by aliens, how else could it have left the planet?

- Tom, Watford

Us brits deserve all the water we get. Why should we care where we get our water from? It's British culture to take as much as possible and sod the rest.

- Albert Swift, Aberdeen, Scotland

I don't believe these figures. 4,645 litres of water every day! How on earth do they arrive at that figure?

- Squiz, Islington

There is no shortage of water, only a shortage of fresh water. Surely it's not beyond mankind to come up with a cheap desalination process?

- Paul, London

When you are next at the gym look at the idiots who leave the taps running to shave and clean their teeth with the plug in. It's this sensless behaviour which causes these problems. Besides water should hardly be a problem in this country given the amount which falls on us everyday!

- Fly, london

The average American uses five times as much water per day as the average Brit, some 385 litres per day. They water the desert and fill swimming pools in drought zones. Tackle the American problem before having a pop at the Brits.

- Neil, london uk, Airstrip ONE .


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