No one thinks of England as a country that needs more water, but it may soon find itself parched for it. Sir James Bevan, the chief executive of the Environment Agency, told The Guardian that demand for water is quickly surpassing the country’s diminishing supply due to climate change. “Around 25 years from now,” he said, “where those [demand and supply] lines cross is known by some as the ‘jaws of death’ — the point at which we will not have enough water to supply our needs, unless we take action to change things.”
Indeed, the population of the UK is projected to rise from 67 million to 75 million in 2050, increasing the demand for water. Also, according to Bevan, by 2040, more than half of UK’s summers are expected to be hotter than the 2003 heatwave, causing more water shortages including less water in rivers.
To prevent the country from entering such dire straits, Bevans said the government must take action right now by implementing solutions to cut people’s water use by 33 percent, reduce leakage from water companies by 50 percent, and build new mega-reservoirs, which are controversial but necessary.
Whether action is taken by citizens themselves, the government, or water companies — ideally, all three of them — it’s clear that change must come swiftly to prevent a dry England.
H/T: The Guardian