NRA defies Gummer over water shortages
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The National Rivers Authority will today contradict the Government with a recommendation that action over leaking pipes is the best way to tackle water shortages, rather than metering, which ministers would prefer, writes Patricia Wynn Davies.
The backing for a clampdown on leaks, in a report on water conservation published this morning, is in conflict with last month's Government report, Water Conservation, Government Action, which devoted only 9 paragraphs out of 71 to the leakage problem while declaring: "The Government believes companies should extend the use of meters as far and as quickly as possible."
Although John Gummer, Secretary of State for the Environment, backed away from forcing unpopular metering on consumers, he declined to impose mandatory targets on reducing leaks, leaving the privatised water companies to make their own voluntary ones.
A quarter of all water supplies in Britain is lost through leaking pipes.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments