1-20 of 19,034 results for subject:Water
Librarians' tools
- Search time
- 0.424 seconds
- Solr query time
- 0.03 seconds
- Search query
- subject:Water
- We searched for
- subject_t:Water OR subject_ses:93467
Type
House
Session
More
Year
More
Department
More
Member
More
Primary member
More
Answering member
More
Legislative stage
Legislation
More
Subject
More
Publisher
The United Nations published a landmark report warning of ‘water bankruptcy’ in January 2026. Find out what this means for the UK and the world.
The United Nations published a landmark report warning of ‘water bankruptcy’ in January 2026. Find out what this means for the UK and the world.
Droughts are increasingly common in England. Droughts can lead to restrictions on water use, reduced crop yields and environmental damage.
Droughts are increasingly common in England. Droughts can lead to restrictions on water use, reduced crop yields and environmental damage.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether hyperscale AI data centres, including the proposed data campus near Great Torrington, are required to disclose their projected water consumption for cooling before planning applications are determined; and, if not, what plans they have to introduce such a requirement.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether hyperscale AI data centres, including the proposed data campus near Great Torrington, are required to disclose their projected water consumption for cooling before planning applications are determined; and, if not, what plans they have to introduce such a requirement.
BSIT continues to engage with the sector and other government departments to better understand water use in data centres, supporting the adoption of efficient cooling technologies (closed-loop systems) and alternative sources like rainwater harvesting.
The planning system requires environmental impacts, including water consumption, to be properly assessed and considered before decisions are made. For developments progressing through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime, applicants must assess impacts on water resources as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment and supporting documentation. AI Growth Zone applicants are also required to provide details of their anticipated water requirements and evidence from the relevant water supplier on the availability of supply. The Government keeps planning and environmental requirements under review to ensure data centre growth remains sustainable.
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to require all data centre operators to report their water use.
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to require all data centre operators to report their water use.
BSIT continues to engage with the sector and other government departments to better understand water use in data centres, supporting the adoption of efficient cooling technologies (closed-loop systems) and alternative sources like rainwater harvesting.
The planning system requires environmental impacts, including water consumption, to be properly assessed and considered before decisions are made. For developments progressing through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime, applicants must assess impacts on water resources as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment and supporting documentation. AI Growth Zone applicants are also required to provide details of their anticipated water requirements and evidence from the relevant water supplier on the availability of supply. The Government keeps planning and environmental requirements under review to ensure data centre growth remains sustainable.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the environmental impacts of caffeine as an emerging environmental pollutant on freshwater and saltwater ecosystems.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the environmental impacts of caffeine as an emerging environmental pollutant on freshwater and saltwater ecosystems.
Caffeine was assessed in Tranche 2 of the Environment Agency's Prioritisation and Early Warning System for chemicals. It remains in the Environment Agency's surface water monitoring programmes to assess whether exposure levels and subsequent risk changes.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what monitoring and assessment is undertaken by water companies of water usage and wastewater volumes to estimate the size of the resident population in the water area.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what monitoring and assessment is undertaken by water companies of water usage and wastewater volumes to estimate the size of the resident population in the water area.
Water companies use established practises and methodologies to monitor water and wastewater use by their customers. This alongside various factors, such as local authority planning, helps inform the water companies’ long-term plans to secure water and wastewater services.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support the installation of rainwater collection methods in existing homes.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support the installation of rainwater collection methods in existing homes.
This Government is taking steps to support rainwater harvesting and recycling in homes. We have committed to reforming how rainwater is used in homes through the Clean Water Bill. This sits alongside our review of the water efficiency and drainage standards in Building Regulations (2010).
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to require all new homes to have rainwater collection methods installed on the property.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to require all new homes to have rainwater collection methods installed on the property.
This Government is taking steps to support rainwater harvesting and recycling in homes. We have committed to reforming how rainwater is used in homes through the Clean Water Bill. This sits alongside our review of the water efficiency and drainage standards in Building Regulations (2010).
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 118224, on Water Charges: Conservation, whether the innovative tariff options being considered will include the extension of (a) progressive water metering and (b) seasonal water meeting via...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 118224, on Water Charges: Conservation, whether the innovative tariff options being considered will include the extension of (a) progressive water metering and (b) seasonal water meeting via...
This information is publicly available on Ofwat's website.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 118224, on Water Charges: Conservation, what is the statutory basis for the use of (a) progressive water metering and (b) seasonal water meeting via smart meters on...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 118224, on Water Charges: Conservation, what is the statutory basis for the use of (a) progressive water metering and (b) seasonal water meeting via smart meters on...
This information is publicly available on Ofwat's website.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether household customers with smart water meters can refuse to be moved onto a (a) seasonal or (b) progressive water meter tariff where a water company wishes to introduce such a tariff without householder consent.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether household customers with smart water meters can refuse to be moved onto a (a) seasonal or (b) progressive water meter tariff where a water company wishes to introduce such a tariff without householder consent.
This information is publicly available on Ofwat's website.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the timetable is for the research required by commitment 77 of the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 into increasing the natural resilience of habitats to wildfire through rewetting or restoring hydrological function; and whether her Department has reached...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the timetable is for the research required by commitment 77 of the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 into increasing the natural resilience of habitats to wildfire through rewetting or restoring hydrological function; and whether her Department has reached...
An initial scoping review will be reported on in the Environmental Improvement Plan’s annual progress report (APR) in 2027.
Current evidence supports the approach that peatland restoration, including rewetting and the restoration of hydrological function, can strengthen wildfire resilience by increasing moisture levels, reducing fuel loads and supporting the recovery of peat-forming vegetation such as Sphagnum mosses.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether receipt of (i) support and (ii) priority access to an electricity-grid connection by a data-centre development will be conditional on compliance with minimum standards for (a) energy efficiency, (b) water efficiency, (c) the use of low-carbon electricity,...
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether receipt of (i) support and (ii) priority access to an electricity-grid connection by a data-centre development will be conditional on compliance with minimum standards for (a) energy efficiency, (b) water efficiency, (c) the use of low-carbon electricity,...
The Government is committed to supporting the sustainable growth of the UK's data centre sector reflecting their critical importance to the economy, public services and national security. A limited number of strategically important data centres may be supported through the Connections Accelerator Service (CAS) subject to the CAS Project Selection Process. The selection process includes due diligence from DBIST and an evaluation of the project alignment to government priorities including economic growth, jobs and net zero objectives. CAS provides enhanced engagement with network companies to identify opportunities to accelerate connections where possible, but it does not guarantee an earlier connection date.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the water management grant of up to £15 million, within the drought support package.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the water management grant of up to £15 million, within the drought support package.
The Government recognises the significant challenges that drought conditions can pose for farmers and growers. As part of the drought support package announced on 14 August 2026, up to £15 million has been made available to support on-farm reservoir construction.
The proposed level of funding has been informed by evaluation evidence from the previous two rounds of the Water Management Grant, where applications are expected to result in around £12.5 million of grant expenditure in total. Given the previous government were unable to spend the full budget allocated to the previous rounds of the Water Management Grant, we won’t repeat that failure and as such will continue to monitor delivery and demand to ensure the grant supports practical investments that strengthen water security and farm resilience to climate change.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of (a) the replacement value of flood defence and water management assets in the Fens, (b) the proportion of those assets expected to reach the end of their design life by 2040...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of (a) the replacement value of flood defence and water management assets in the Fens, (b) the proportion of those assets expected to reach the end of their design life by 2040...
This information is publicly available: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fens-2100.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to embed wildfire resilience into land‑use, water and nature recovery policy.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to embed wildfire resilience into land‑use, water and nature recovery policy.
Defra is delivering the change to land use needed to increase our resilience to the impacts of climate change. This includes restoring the peatlands, wetlands and woodlands that store carbon and reduce wildfire risk to farmland, homes, infrastructure and nature. Following the 2026 wildfires we are considering options to improve wildfire resilience.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to require operators of AI-capable data centres to report annual water consumption to regulators.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to require operators of AI-capable data centres to report annual water consumption to regulators.
A recent report by the Water Research Centre concluded that existing data centres in England account for just 0.2% of current non-household demand. As the sector grows, Defra is working across government and with the Environment Agency to better understand this expected growth and reduce its impact, including by supporting the rollout of smart meters to improve the evidence base on water us in the non-household market.
The Government expects data centre developers to work closely with water companies to secure sustainable supplies and explore alternative water sources, such as collected rainwater, where suitable.
Data centre proposals are considered through the planning system, and local planning authorities take account of relevant environmental impacts. Prospective AI Growth Zone sites must demonstrate sufficient access to water to support at least 500MW of AI infrastructure through written confirmation from the relevant water supplier.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with local planning authorities on the water requirements of proposed AI-capable data centres.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with local planning authorities on the water requirements of proposed AI-capable data centres.
A recent report by the Water Research Centre concluded that existing data centres in England account for just 0.2% of current non-household demand. As the sector grows, Defra is working across government and with the Environment Agency to better understand this expected growth and reduce its impact, including by supporting the rollout of smart meters to improve the evidence base on water us in the non-household market.
The Government expects data centre developers to work closely with water companies to secure sustainable supplies and explore alternative water sources, such as collected rainwater, where suitable.
Data centre proposals are considered through the planning system, and local planning authorities take account of relevant environmental impacts. Prospective AI Growth Zone sites must demonstrate sufficient access to water to support at least 500MW of AI infrastructure through written confirmation from the relevant water supplier.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026, to question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, what assessment has she made of the source of the high nitrate levels found in water sources used to fill Grafham Water.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026, to question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, what assessment has she made of the source of the high nitrate levels found in water sources used to fill Grafham Water.
A drought permit application is expected from Anglian Water in early October to support refilling Grafham Water if sustained rainfall is received. The Great Ouse Catchment System Plan partnership project has been formed to identify and track sources of nitrate and develop strategies to reduce it.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026, to question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, what steps she has taken to ensure Grafham Water can be refilled to 100% this winter following the exceptionally dry weather this summer.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026, to question 22817 on Reservoirs: Cambridgeshire, what steps she has taken to ensure Grafham Water can be refilled to 100% this winter following the exceptionally dry weather this summer.
A drought permit application is expected from Anglian Water in early October to support refilling Grafham Water if sustained rainfall is received. The Great Ouse Catchment System Plan partnership project has been formed to identify and track sources of nitrate and develop strategies to reduce it.