By 2030, the predicted level of deficit will leave decarbonisation efforts hamstrung.
A new report by Durham University and water retailer Wave has warned that progress on net zero could dry up 20 years before the UK’s zero emissions target date of 2050 due to the scarcity of water. Hydrogen production and carbon capture technologies are particularly at risk due to their rate at which they consumer H20, and threaten to push already-thirsty regions into major shortages by the start of next decade.
Humberside, North West England, Tees Valley, the Solent, and the Black Country are amongst the country’s biggest industrial hubs and combined account provide homes for much of the vital infrastructure needed to drive net zero. However, as a result these regions – many of which are notoriously rainy – are now considered highly vulnerable to water shortages as a result of decarbonisation.
Combined, their shared demand could use up an additional 860million litres of water by 2050, putting significant strain on supplies which are already struggling to meet demand. Broken down regionally, East Anglia is expected to have the largest deficit of 130million litres per day within 25 years, followed by the North West, which could be short 70million litres each day.
Yorkshire Water – impacted by industrial activity in Humberside – is also predicted to have issues, although currently management strategies put this area in a better position. In contrast, places that fall under Northumbrian Water and Severn Trent could have surpluses, offering some hope strategies can improve the situation.
‘Water is a resource that’s often taken for granted,’ said Wave industrial and Commercial Customer Director, Nigel Corfield. ‘We just expect it to be there. When it comes to some large-scale industrial decarbonisation projects, the availability of water may be the deciding factor in whether these projects can move forward or not.
‘This report brings to light the stark truth: if we continue to use water the way we do now, there simply won’t be enough. We want water scarcity to be seen as a shared challenge,’ he continued. ‘Water retailers, wholesalers, net zero project managers, and government need to work together from the outset, aligning plans and timelines with local water resources to minimise disruption. Without urgent action, the road to net zero could quite literally dry up.’
Image: Mukesh Sharma / Unsplash
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