Tighter rules on water saving in new homes proposed under government plan to boost building

Under the proposals, developers would be required to fit water-saving measures such as aerated taps and shower heads and dual-flush toilets, which help reduce the volume of water households use.

Installing features like this would enable the current allowance of 125 litres of water per person per day to be reduced to 105, Defra said. It could also save households £111 a year on energy and water bills.

In areas with water scarcity, the allowance would be reduced further to 100 litres of water per person per day.

The consultation is also asking for evidence on other innovations that are not yet fully feasible, such as using harvested rainwater to flush home toilets.

According to the government’s calculations, a reduction of 20 litres per person per day could see an additional 1,000 new homes unlocked for every 5,250 homes built.

Dr Tom Dollard, chair of industry membership body the Good Homes Alliance, said: “If we are to meet the government housing delivery targets and unlock economic growth then we must start building more ‘water-smart’ homes and neighbourhoods.

“We would like to see a refreshed Part G that is aligned to the water neutrality hierarchy, and a fittings-based approach combined with a water labelling scheme that would deliver water-efficient homes at scale across the UK.”

Water shortages have held up housing developments in various areas of the country, such as Waterbeach new town in Cambridgeshire, where 4,500 homes were delayed following an objection from the Environment Agency.

In 2021, a group of councils in North Sussex had to pause new developments after Natural England said water abstraction from the Arun Valley was having a negative impact on important nature conservation sites.

New developments were told to demonstrate water neutrality, meaning that the use of water in the supply area post-development was no greater than it was before.

This year, the country has seen seven consecutive months of below-average rainfall, with five areas in drought. The government has said the new rules would help to boost resilience and cut the amount of water taken from rivers and lakes.

The government believes water-saving features in new homes will help to boost drought resilience and help to cut the amount of water taken from rivers, lakes and rare chalk streams to shore up public supply.

Environment secretary Emma Reynolds said: “We are getting Britain building faster, and a key element to growth is smarter water consumption.

“Removing the water shortage barriers that have stalled development for too long will mean unlocking thousands of new homes while saving families money.

“Not only will this make customer bills cheaper, it will protect the environment and unlock thousands of new homes as part of our Plan for Change.”

Ed Lockhart, chief executive of the Future Homes Hub, which last year published a roadmap for water efficiency in new housing developments, said: “Water shortages are already constraining housing growth and the water supply shortfall at the national and regional level will widen without concerted action.

“To sustain delivery of new homes at the levels required for everyone to have a decent home, homes need to become progressively more water-efficient, alongside large-scale investment in water infrastructure and demand management in other sectors.”