Businesses urged to act over water security

Business in the Community has set up a Government-backed taskforce involving water companies, large firms and other key stakeholders which today launches a report warning of the risks facing the nation over water supplies and calling on firms to take action to improve their reslience against the risks of too much and too little water.

Richard Flint, chief executive of Yorkshire Water, said: “Water resilience and the security of our resources is too big an issue for any one business to deal with on its own. It’s vitally important that business leaders join with the Government to consider how we can act now to preserve our most precious resource for future generations.”

Water Minister Dan Rogerson said the Government was backing the project.

“Across the country, many individual businesses are doing great things to help protect water quality and the environment.”

Gudrun Cartwright, head of innovation and partnerships at Business in the Community, said: “Water management should be part of all sustainable business strategies. Rising sea levels and changes in rainfall patterns are just the beginning of an increase in flooding and drought in the UK. There is a clear and urgent need for UK businesses to act now and respond to water challenges.”