Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Leaks from Water Mains

Thursday 22 July 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government aims to reduce water leakage through a 16% reduction target set by Ofwat by 2025.
  • Water companies have committed to a 50% leakage reduction by 2050, potentially saving up to 1,400 megalitres of water per day.
  • Replacing outdated Victorian water mains, such as the 95% cast iron mains in Bromley, is crucial for maintaining clean and reliable drinking water.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Bob Neill Con
Environment
Context

Discussions with Ofwat and utility companies on reducing leaks from water mains are crucial for improving water efficiency.

Question

What discussions has the government had with Ofwat and representatives of utility companies to reduce leaks from water mains?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

Reducing leakage is an essential part of our ambition to improve water efficiency. Ofwat has set companies a performance commitment to reduce leakage by 16% by 2025. The water companies have further committed to deliver a 50% reduction by 2050, which could save up to 1,400 megalitres of water per day. I will require water companies to develop their water resource management plans on this basis.

Answered
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Q2 Bob Neill Con
Energy Environment
Context

Bromley has a high percentage of cast iron water mains, leading to frequent and repetitive leaks causing significant issues for residents. Thames Water reports that 95% of the mains are made of cast iron, compared to an average of 50-60% in London.

Question

Given that 95% of the water mains in Bromley are cast iron, can we have a specific programme to replace outdated Victorian infrastructure and bring it up to purpose for the 21st century?

Answer from Rebecca Pow

I thank my hon. Friend for that, and I do realise the challenges that people are facing in his constituency. Repairing and replacing leaking pipes is absolutely critical; it is particularly important to maintain clean, safe, reliable drinking water. Identifying those leaks is challenging, but companies are looking at innovative ways to improve outcomes. It is really for the companies to decide how to maintain their infrastructure, but we are pushing them with the targets that have been set. To minimise disruption caused by planned work, they must notify customers and local authorities.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific programme for replacing outdated Victorian-era water mains

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