The head of England's Environment Agency is calling on people to be "less squeamish" about drinking water taken from sewage treatment plants to help protect water supplies.
Sir James Bevan has revealed that water companies in are planning water recycling "toilet-to-tap" systems to turn sewage from lavatories into drinking water. The proposal is for toilet water to be deposited into rivers near treatment plants by 2030 so it can be collected and processed.
Sir James, writing in the Sunday Times, admitted that the move would be "unpopular" but described it as "perfectly safe and healthy, but not something many people fancy". He added that water supplies are being placed under strain due to climate change and that people need to "change the way they think about water" and "treat it as a precious resource, not a free good".
He said: "When we turn on the tap, what comes out started in a river, lake or aquifer. The more we take, the more we drain those sources and put stress on nature and wildlife. If we are going to get there, we are all going to have to think differently. Some of these measures will be unpopular, so future governments will need to show political will."
Thames Water announced plans in 2013 to use recycled toilet waste in London's tap water, saying it hoped to implement the scheme by 2025. Following the long, dry summer, 10 areas in England have drought status, with six water companies imposing hosepipe bans across areas that include South-east England, Yorkshire and Wales.
Sir James said that even small changes to water consumption can make a big difference, adding: "Take showers, not baths. Cram the dishwasher or washing machine and only run it when it's full. Fix leaks: many are in our own homes, not water company pipes."
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