Government 'needs to raise awareness of water quality by raising price'

The government needs to do more to raise awareness of water quality by increasing the amount of money people pay for it, a report has suggested.

According to the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management's (CIWEM's) new publication Regulation for a Sustainable Water Industry, the public should pay a price that reflects its value to the environment.

The report stated that the government should create a "shadow price for water", which takes into account the real environmental costs it takes to produce clean water for people in the UK.

This price should be implemented after a socially-accepted limit and will cover the charges that come with delivery expenditure and its environmental impact.

CIWEM said that a review should be undertaken to ensure that the public's use of water in the UK is sustainable and does not go above green limits.

Earlier this year, the organisation released a survey which showed that 87 per cent of people agreed a study should be conducted in order to prepare for future challenges.

Posted by Lauren Steadman