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Water Treatment

Question for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

UIN 52779, tabled on 15 May 2025

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to promote water reuse.

Answered on

21 May 2025

This answer is a correction from the original answer.

The Government recognises that recycled water e.g. from rainwater or domestic greywater showers play a key role in helping non-household users and businesses meet the statutory water demand reduction target of 20% by March 2038. We encourage water companies and developers to move from potable water to recycled sources where possible.

To enable reuse in households, we are working to support the water sector to supply treated, non-potable water, including rainwater, for certain water demands such as toilet flushing. To support this, Ofwat consulted on environmental incentives for developers which considered where recycled water could be integrated into buildings and developments, and acknowledged the importance of recycled water to reducing pressure on the water system

Original answer

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Department is engaging with key stakeholders as part of the development of our overarching approach to animal welfare. We will be outlining more details on this in due course.

This will build on the support already available through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, which includes access to testing for priority diseases and advice to improve continually improve the health, welfare, and productivity of farmed animals through funded vet visits.