Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that recycled rainwater is used in (1) new dwellings, (2) refurbished dwellings, and (3) commercial buildings.

The Building Regulations 2010 Parts G & H include requirements relating to water efficiency and grey water harvesting. For new homes, statutory guidance for Part G of the Building Regulations includes a minimum standard for estimated water consumption set at 125 litres per person per day, and an optional standard of 110 litres per person per day, which may be adopted in water stressed areas at the discretion of the local planning authority.

In July 2021, Government responded to its consultation on Measures to Reduce Personal Water Consumption (attached) https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/water-conservation-measures-to-reduce-personal-water-use . Within this consultation response we committed to developing a roadmap, in 2022, 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.