Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the integration of rainwater harvesting systems in new housing developments.

In June this year, the Government introduced new national standards, making clear that sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) should be designed to cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits in the form of flood prevention and storm overflow reduction, offering reuse opportunities, reducing run off, and helping to improve water quality, amenity, and biodiversity. The standards should be used by local authorities when assessing applications for development which could affect drainage on or around the site, see paragraphs 181 and 182 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

This Government is committed to enabling homes to be water efficient as part of the statutory Water Demand Target. The target is underpinned by a commitment to lower water usage in homes, to achieve a usage of at least 122 litres per person per day by 2038, on a trajectory to 110 litres per person per day by 2050.

Defra is working with MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) to explore whether Building Regulations could be further amended to tighten water efficiency standards and enable consumers to use less water and save on their water and energy bills.