Water companies in England and Wales are losing five times more water through leaky pipes than even a nationwide hosepipe ban could save, according to a new analysis by Greenpeace UK. The environmental group found that 2.87bn litres of water seep from the network each day, equivalent to filling 1,150 Olympic-sized swimming pools and representing a fifth of all water pumped through the system.
Hosepipe bans vs. leakage savings
In contrast, a network-wide hosepipe ban would save only about 577m litres per day, or 4% of water, based on figures from the water industry regulator Ofwat. The analysis comes as water companies impose temporary use bans on millions of people in southern and south-eastern England, making hosepipe use a criminal offence punishable by a £1,000 fine.
Drought and demand pressures
Water companies have reported surging demand during this summer's record heatwaves, while the Environment Agency notes that reservoir levels are below long-term averages, with river flows and groundwater levels declining at nearly all sites. Greenpeace's research underscores the water industry's failure to capitalise on available reserves, a situation critics attribute to underinvestment since privatisation in the 1980s, with dividends prioritised over infrastructure.
Infrastructure and future risks
No major new reservoir has been built in England and Wales for over three decades, though several are in planning. The government's climate advisers warned in May that droughts will become more frequent, intense, and widespread. The Climate Change Committee projects a potential water-supply shortfall of more than 5bn litres per day by the mid-2050s.
Calls for action
Greenpeace UK's chief scientist, Doug Parr, stated: "Of course people should use water carefully during prolonged hot and dry weather. But it's galling to be told to put away the hose while water companies are losing nearly 3bn litres every day through leaks. Fossil-fuelled climate change is making severe droughts more frequent and more dangerous, so ministers must not treat water security as tomorrow's problem."
Water UK, the industry's trade association, responded: "Water companies have cut leakage by around 40% since privatisation and plan to reduce it by a further 17% by 2030. Some parts of the country are seeing demand for water rise by more than a third. As this third heatwave of the year continues, water companies are working round the clock fixing leaks, moving water across regions and running treatment works flat out to keep supplies flowing, and we'd urge all customers to use water wisely."
