LETTER: Archaic legislation

Legislation regarding water supply in the UK is archaic. Water companies have a statutory obligation to supply water to every new house, but have no representation on planning committees therefore no say in whether or not there will be enough water to go round.

The South East of England is a water stressed area and it has been said that we have less water available per head of population than Syria. At present, ground water levels and reservoirs are both low because we have had a relatively dry winter so far and with burgeoning development demand is continually increasing.

With luck, we may get some significant rainfall during the rest of the winter to redress the balance, but we should not have to rely on luck. If we are unlucky and a dry winter is followed by a dry summer, trade your hosepipes in for buckets to take to the standpipes.

John St.Pierre

Bridgelands, Barcombe