Key facts
- Businesses in England use 2.6 billion litres of public water daily, with 30% of total public supply use.
- Two-thirds of business water consumption occurs in water-stressed regions.
- Major industrial users include oil refineries, chemical plants, and paper mills.
- Data on business water usage is difficult to track due to commercial secrecy and lack of metering.
- ExxonMobil's Fawley refinery was identified as a large user, though the company disputes the figures.
- Regulators and environmental groups are calling for mandatory reporting and better water management.
Businesses across England are consuming billions of litres of public water daily, even as millions of households face hosepipe bans and three-quarters of the country is in drought. Companies account for approximately 30% of public supply use, with a significant portion of this consumption occurring in water-stressed regions.
Data on industrial water use is reportedly difficult to obtain due to 'commercial secrecy,' frustrating regulators and hindering effective planning. The largest users identified include oil refineries, chemical plants, and paper mills, some of which are not subject to mandatory consumption cuts. Mosl, the organization managing England's business water market, cited the ExxonMobil-operated Fawley refinery as a major user, suggesting significant water wastage not disincentivized by current regulations.
ExxonMobil has disputed these figures, citing commercial confidentiality and stating that the majority of water used is for cooling purposes, with potable water accounting for less than 1% of its total consumption. Mosl has since removed some of its data and maps from public view. The overall picture of business water use remains incomplete, with a notable percentage of businesses unmetered or lacking smart metering technology.
Mosl's Chief Executive, Sarah McMath, indicated that sharing data, even with government departments like Defra, requires bespoke agreements, though efforts are underway with regulator Ofwat to facilitate data sharing for environmental and societal benefit. The Environment Agency and Ofwat are advocating for mandatory reporting of current and projected water use across all sectors to enhance water security.
Water resource planning currently assumes a reduction in business water consumption by 2038 and 2050. However, the trade body Water UK argues these assumptions are unrealistic given growing demand from sectors like data centers and hydrogen production. They advocate for water companies to plan for projected demand rather than adhere to government reduction targets. Businesses can also abstract water directly from natural sources, with some abstraction occurring without licenses or reporting.
Environmental groups have criticized the water usage by petrochemical and fossil fuel companies, linking it to the climate crisis. The government, through Defra, states it is taking action to secure water supplies, including plans for new reservoirs. Meanwhile, water companies are losing substantial amounts of water daily due to leaking pipes.