RICS Research report – Water Scarcity and Land Use Planning

One person out of three cannot access the water they need for everyday life and in fewer than 15 years, one quarter of countries in the world will face water stress or scarcity. Water insecurity is one of the greatest challenges facing societies in the 21st century. In a new report published today, Friday 16 December, RICS recommends a series of solutions to tackle the issue at regional, city and building level.

At a time when governments –obsessed with their economic headaches- are tempted to slash support for bold environmental policies, we should be under no illusions about the urgent need for a concerted and holistic approach to counter water shortage. Over the last century, water demand has been growing at almost twice the rate of the world’s population. This has a profound impact on politics, human health, food production, urban growth and the wider, global economy. Justin Abbott, author of the RICS report, comments: "Water is not an infinite resource. Now is the time to refocus the balance between increasing supply and managing demand."

As every truly global challenge requires, countering water insecurity needs local action. Sander Scheurwater, Head of RICS EU Policy and Public Affairs, commented on the report: "The publication of this research paper comes at the time when the European Commission is taking initiative to review its policy measures required to ensure efficient and sustainable water use across the EU. In this perspective, the RICS report provides a list of recommendations to assist decision makers in drafting coherent and effective policies at regional, city and building level."

Top priorities at regional and city level include reducing water leakage by improving the performance of supply networks in the largest cities where currently between 20 and 50 percent of water is lost through leakage or illegal connections. The use of multi-functional green infrastructure (e.g. trees, green walls, green roofs, open spaces) to capture and store rainfall and storm water runoff should also be encouraged, as well as creating formal networks to re-use and recycle non-potable supplies of water (rainwater, storm water and treated grey water from sinks, showers and washing machines).

Estimates show that up to 30 percent of the water consumed in buildings could be saved. At building level, RICS therefore advocates for new building codes. These should affect the financial value of a building depending on their water performance, with sellers required to demonstrate that they meet the appropriate standards. More efficient tools are needed to measure the water performance of buildings, but in the meantime, there is obvious scope to retrofit existing water appliances, such as WCs, showers, tapware, and baths to improve water efficiency.

However, the success of all these measures will depend on one crucial factor: public engagement. For demand management to work in the longer term, and to achieve real behavioural change, it is essential that the general public understands the value of water and recognises the finite nature of this resource. Justin Abbott adds: "Economic incentives will play a role, but more work needs to be done with communities to support the understanding of water scarcity and its impact, and to build trust in new approaches, such as recycled water systems."