Policy Connect and the Westminster Sustainable Business Forum have today launched Bricks and Water: Building the Case for Water Efficiency and Reuse, setting out practical measures to strengthen England’s water security and support future housebuilding.

The report warns that England could face a shortfall of five billion litres of public water supply each day by 2055, with climate change, population growth and increasing demand placing further pressure on already stretched resources.

It examines how water use can be reduced across homes and businesses through measures such as smart metering, behaviour-change programmes, and mandatory efficiency labelling for water-using products. It also considers how rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling could reduce demand for drinking-quality water, while identifying the regulatory, financial and practical barriers currently limiting wider adoption.

Among its ten recommendations, the report calls for a single national water-efficiency standard for new homes, based on efficient fixtures and fittings and aligned with the forthcoming Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme. It proposes minimum product standards equivalent to water consumption of 95 litres per person per day or less under real-world conditions.

The report also recommends making water-reuse systems compulsory in residential developments of more than 100 properties and commercial developments exceeding 500 square metres, alongside changes to planning policy, Building Regulations and water legislation. New homes should also be constructed with dual pipework and connection-ready drainage to avoid expensive retrofitting later.

The recommendations are intended to complement the Independent Water Commission’s review and the Government’s 2026 Water White Paper, while helping to turn national ambitions for water security into practical action.

The full report can be accessed via the Policy Connect website.