The Environmental Targets (Water) (England) Regulations 2023

PART 5 Water demand target

Application of this Part

19.—(1) This Part applies to potable water supplied by water undertakers whose areas are wholly or mainly in England to people in England.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a water undertaker’s area refers to the area for which it has been appointed to be a water undertaker in accordance with section 6(1) of the Water Industry Act 1991.

Water demand target

20.  The fourth target in respect of water is that the volume of potable water supplied per day per head of population in England is, by 31st March 2038, at least 20% lower than the baseline.

Measurement of the water demand target

21.  The volume of potable water supplied per day per head of population in England which is to be compared with the baseline to determine whether the target in regulation 20 is met by 31st March 2038 is to be measured by calculating the distribution input over population for a year from 1st April 2037 to 31st March 2038.

Reporting date

22.  For the purposes of section 6(1) of the 2021 Act, the reporting date for the target set in regulation 20 is 30th April 2039.

Interpretation

23.—(1) In this Part—

“the baseline” means the volume of potable water supplied per head of population in England in the year from 1st April 2019 to 31st March 2020, calculated as the distribution input over population;

“distribution input over population” means—

where—

“distribution input” means the volume of potable water entering the supply system of water undertakers at the point of production, reported as litres per day;

“point of production” means the point at which potable water enters the distribution network of pipes for onward supply to customers;

“population” means the population of England (and see paragraph (2)); and

“supply system of water undertakers” is to be construed in accordance with section 17B(4A) of the Water Industry Act 1991(1).

(2) For the purposes of this Part, the population of England is to be determined using data for population given by water undertakers in annual reviews of water resources management plans (including revised plans) in accordance with section 37A(5) of the Water Industry Act 1991(2).

(1)

Section 17B(4A) was inserted by section 2(2) of the Water Act 2014 (c. 21).

(2)

Section 37A was inserted by section 62 of the Water Act 2003 (c. 37) and was amended by the Water Act 2014 (c. 21).