The costs of dealing with water scarcity are likely to drive up water bills in many parts of the UK, as water companies invest in new supply infrastructure such as reservoirs to ensure that peak demand  can continue to be met. Large-scale water efficiency could help meet demand more cheaply but existing plans are unambitious.

Our report identifies a series of simple interventions that the government and Ofwat could bring forward to accelerate reductions in household water use and avoid the need for new water supply infrastructure.