Love Water, a new UK environmental campaign, aims to encourage UK residents to preserve and maintain the nation’s water resources.
More than 40 charities, environmental bodies, regulators and water providers are involved with the Love Water campaign, which forms part of the UK government’s Year of Green Action, a wide-ranging environmental initiative. The campaign is designed to raise awareness across the UK of the importance of preventing water waste and reducing pollution; and its leading bodies – which include the Environment Agency, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and regulator Ofwat – have extended an invitation to private sector businesses to provide support through promotional activities and sustainability pledges.
Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, said: “Most people agree that water is a precious resource but too often we take it for granted and don’t see how our actions have a direct effect on the local rivers, lakes and beaches we all care about. Our campaign intends to change that by urging people to use water wisely and to think before pouring cooking oil down the drain or flushing a wet wipe away. We know that everyone has a duty to preserve and protect water and the campaign will also work with industry, water companies and other regulators in the longer-term to cut down on wastage.”
The dual factors of the country’s growing population and the climate emergency threaten increasingly destructive impacts on the UK’s water infrastructure, with projected longer, hotter summers leading to higher risk of droughts and water shortages. In order to mitigate these shortages, Love Water encourages consumers to take responsible measures such as not leaving taps running or pouring oil and fats down the sink.
Water UK Chief Executive Michael Roberts said: “The Love Water campaign is a great way to get the public to think about the link between the water we all use and the rivers and lakes that provide it and sustain our environment – but we also know the water industry must play its role which is why we have set out ambitious plans to reduce leakage alongside a new programme for helping the environment, which will see 8000 km of rivers cleaned and improved. We all need to take action so that this country does not run out of water in the middle part of this century. Only by working together can we bring about the changes needed to ensure we have a resilient water environment now and in the future.”
