Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director, Economy, Innovation and Growth

The Committee received a report to provide them with information about reslience and emergency planning for droughts.

The Council has no statutory duty to plan for droughts and managing water supply.  This is the responsilbity of the Water Authorities and in Gateshead this falls to Water Resources North (WReN), made up Northumbrian Water, Yorkshire Water and Hartlepool Water as core companies but they involve other who have an interest in wagter resources within the region.  WReN is a group designed to oversee water resources planning for Yorkshire and the North East of England.

Regional groups are preparing Water Resource Management Plans looking at current and forecasted water use, weighing up the balance between water demand and supply availability un until 2045.

The Draft North Water Resources Management Plan for PR24 will be finalised in 2023.  The North is the most drought-resilient public water supply in England today and water resources are in a good position with Kielder Reservoir.

To reduce demand for water, on 1 July 2021, the Government announced plans to:

·        Make regulations to introduce a mandatory water efficiency label to inform consumers and encourage the purchase of more water efficient products for both domestic and business use

·        Encourage local authorities to adopt the optional minimum building standard of 110 litres per person per day in all new builds where there is a clear local need, such as in water stressed areas

·        Develop a roadmap towards greater water efficiency in new developments and retrofits, including the exploration of revised building regulations and how the development of new technologies can contribute to meeting these standards.  We will ensure that the underlying legislation can, where appropriate, accommodate any potential future expansion of rainwater harvesting, water re-use and storage options

The Council has no formal role should Gateshead suffer from a drought, however, the Council could be called upon as part of a multi-agency coordination arrangements in relation to getting pallets of water or water bowsers out where required, but this task could just as easily fall to another agency including the Fire and Rescue Service.

As the Council has no formal role in responding to a drought, and it is considered that a drought in Gateshead is unlikely, the Council has not developed plans to respond to a drought.  A drought situation usually has a reasonable lead in period of dry weather and therefore there would be time to develop plans with partner organisations such as WReN, should they be required.

Members suggested that they were not solely concerned about the water supply, but also the overall impact if we have long term dry weather, how will it impact on the landscape and such, what are we going to do if water courses start to dry up, we need to look at the direct impact if we have a series of years of repeated dry weather and how the agricultural sector would be hit.  Last year they were saying the potato crops could be hit, this could potentially happen in the next 2 or 3 years.  What advice are we giving to residents, examples such as not cleaning your car so often.

It was also noted that last year we only had 60% of annual rainfall, in Kent a field was on fire that ignited properties, are we looking to identify places that if they go on fire are a risk to properties.

It was suggested that we need to have questions asked about extreme weather events and a strategic plan.

It was suggested that weather (extreme weather) be included within the Climate Change Strategy Action Plan.

It was also noted that as a society we need to have a change in mindset, we have been brought up to think there is an infinite resource in water.

RESOLVED -              That the information presented be noted.