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<p>Public water supply demand, with no water company interventions, is estimated to
increase by 506 Ml/d over the next ten years and 972 Ml/d over the next twenty years.
If demand management actions included in the recent revised draft water company water
resource management plans (WRMPs) are taken, demand is estimated to decrease. Based
on WRMP data, the Environment Agency estimates there will be reductions of 783 Ml/d
in the next ten years and 1073 Ml/d in the next twenty years.</p><p> </p><p>The region
with the highest demand is the South East of England. The region with the lowest water
demand is the North East of England. This is the case for both the next ten and twenty
years.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is working closely with the water regulators and
the water industry to ensure future water demand is met sustainably and water supplies
remain secure. The Government recognises continued action is required, and it is committed
to a ‘twin track approach’ of managing water demand, including leakage reduction,
and increasing supply, in parallel.</p><p> </p><p>In the case of large nationally
significant infrastructure, the Government’s National Policy Statement for water resources
infrastructure, currently undergoing parliamentary scrutiny, will streamline the planning
permission process.</p><p> </p>
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