14 March 2005
The London Assembly's Environment Committee has forecast potential water shortages throughout London over the next decade unless Thames Water reduces the number of water leaks.
A new report from the committee discovered that the city's water loss through leakage is at a disconcertingly high level and is by far the highest in the country.
Figures reveal that in excess of 25 per cent of all water lost in England and Wales is sourced in the capital.
During 2003/04, around 1,000 million litres of water was lost every day - the equivalent of 17 Olympic sized swimming pools every hour.
"We're storing up major problems for the future. Planned development in London and the South East will stretch water supplies to the limit," said Darren Johnson, chair of the committee.
"Thames Water's consistent failure to achieve the leakage reduction targets is completely unacceptable."
London's largest water supplier has repeatedly failed to meet leakage reduction targets during the past five years despite high levels of investment and increasing prices.
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