Rivers are managed to provide water supply through sustainable practices like water conservation and local schemes rather than large-scale water transfers. Population growth and more affluent lifestyles have increased water demand in the UK. Water usage can be reduced through methods like installing water meters, fixing pipes, and encouraging conservation behaviors at home like using low-flush toilets and collecting rainwater. Some areas have a water deficit while others have a surplus, but large projects to transfer water between regions can be expensive and damaging to the environment.

1. How are rivers managed to
provide our water supply?

2. Sustainability
• Definition:
• Meeting the needs of the present
generation whiteout compromising the
ability of future generations to meet
their own needs.

3. Where do people live and where does it rain?

4. Is there a relationship between these two maps?
Population density Annual Precipitation

5. Why is there an increasing
demand for water in the UK ?
• More people living in the UK, over 60M
• Increased desire for time saving goods
with more affluent lifestyle
• Buying foodstuffs out of season
requires more water use in agriculture
• p120
LO: How are rivers managed to provide our water supply?

6. Key Words
• Deficit – shortfall, not enough
• Surplus – excess, spare, more than
needed.
• Water deficit or surplus?
• Water stress is when the amount of
water available doesn’t match that
which is required.
LO: How are rivers managed to provide our water supply?

7. How can water be saved at home?
1. Low flush toilet or Hippo. (from 1.30)
2. Shorten your shower.
3. Turn water off when brushing teeth.
4. Turn off water when washing up.
5. Run full loads in the washing machine
and dish washer.
6. Keep cool bottle of water in fridge,
saves running tap to get cold water.
7. Water the garden in cool parts of the
day.
8. Collect rain water in butts.
9. Wash your car on the lawn!
LO: How are rivers managed to provide our water supply?

8. Areas of deficit and surplus –
water transfers
• How can demand be met?
– Transfer from wet west to dry east.
– Some transfer pipes can be expensive and
leak and transfers via rivers is more
efficient option.
– Proposed Severn to Thames transfer would
increase London's water supply by a
valuable 20%. Problems of cost (100’s of
millions), different species in rivers and
loss of land in Wales.
LO: How are rivers managed to provide our water supply?

9. Sustainable management and use
of water
• Local schemes offer a sustainable way
forward, not large scale water transfer
schemes.
• Water meters, conservation schemes
(hippos, low flush toilets, etc.), repairing
broken pipes and hosepipe bans in
droughts can all reduce usage.
• Water meters in Kent
LO: How are rivers managed to provide our water supply?