Worldwide Fund for Nature Renews Calls to Reduce Water Use

Local rivers like the Wensum, Yare and Ouse are under serious threat with changes in climate, a growing population and excessive housing development.. The WWF's latest report Riverside Tales highlights the problems cause by over-abstraction which could result in the loss of native wildlife such a the kingfisher and otter. The WWF claim that "all the water we use is taken from the natural environment, and as water scarcity becomes a bigger issue in the UK, the framework for how we manage water resources in England and Wales must be changed."

Declan Conway from the University of East Anglia thinks that people are unaware of the problems associated with increased water use. He says "I think there are regional drives for an increase in population, increase in urban area and new housing development and so on, and a lot of pressure to support these policies and at the same time, there isn't always the recognition of the environment constraints - either in terms of how much land, loss of biodiversity or how much energy and water is required."

The number of agencies highlighting the problems associated with over-abstraction and low levels of rainfall in the eastern region is growing and yet the government, local councils and speculative developers still press ahead with plans for massive development. The future looks very dry indeed unless something is done to stop the plans now.