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Water Treatment

Asked by Lee PitcherLabourDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 21 May 2025UIN 52779

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to promote water reuse.

Answered by Emma Hardy

The Government recognises that recycled water e.g. from rainwater or domestic greywater showers play a key role in helping non-household users and businesses meet the statutory water demand reduction target of 20% by March 2038. We encourage water companies and developers to move from potable water to recycled sources where possible.

To enable reuse in households, we are working to support the water sector to supply treated, non-potable water, including rainwater, for certain water demands such as toilet flushing. To support this, Ofwat consulted on environmental incentives for developers which considered where recycled water could be integrated into buildings and developments, and acknowledged the importance of recycled water to reducing pressure on the water system

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