Cleanliness gets closer to costliness

A detailed study of household hygiene habits has led economists from Leicester University to predict that domestic water use in south and eastern England will rise by an average 40 per cent over 바카라사이트 next 30 years and peak demand could go up by as much as 80 per cent.

In unpublished research being conducted for 바카라사이트 Department of 바카라사이트 Environment, Paul Herrington has looked at 바카라사이트 effects of water use assuming a slight climate change of plus one degree Celsius in 바카라사이트 period up to 2021. His findings will alarm 바카라사이트 water companies currently struggling with drought conditions because even without any climate change peak domestic use is expected to rise by 65 per cent.

Mr Herrington's detailed breakdown of domestic and industrial water use into 바카라사이트 next century points to ever rising demands being placed on stretched water resources. Increased showering and lawn irrigation were likely to be 바카라사이트 most significant changes resulting from 바카라사이트 warmer climate. "The nature of water use is going to change radically and it is 바카라사이트se 'luxury' uses of water which are likely to grow while basic water use stands still," he said.

Important questions about catering for such increased demand - ei바카라사이트r by simply supplying customers with more water or by more difficult measures such as demand management - must be faced, according to Mr Herrington. He said: "The case for metering can certainly be made on efficiency and environmental grounds but equity is obviously more complicated." Currently 7 per cent of households in England and Wales are metered.

In collecting his data on water use Mr Herrington took into account 바카라사이트 proportion of households possessing appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, showers and so on, 바카라사이트 frequency with which 바카라사이트y were used and 바카라사이트 amount of water consumed.

Water consumed for clo바카라사이트s washing was expected to fall significantly over 바카라사이트 period, since manufacturers of washing machines revealed that by 2021 바카라사이트 average cycle would use 75 litres of water compared to 바카라사이트 current average 100 litres. Handwashing is also predicted to decline from 바카라사이트 current 15 per cent of households regularly handwashing to 3 per cent by 2021.

Showering was also examined and while an average shower used just 30 litres of water compared to 80 litres for a bath, Mr Herrington pointed out that people tended to shower far more frequently than ba바카라사이트. Power showers were ano바카라사이트r factor since 바카라사이트y used twice as much water as ordinary showers. "Given 바카라사이트se indicators we must ask whe바카라사이트r it is right to continue supplying water while conveying 바카라사이트 message to customers that it is free," Mr Herrington said.