Norman Baker MP Welcomes Metering Decision for Folkestone & Dover Water

Commenting on the announcement today by DEFRA that Folkestone and Dover Water Services' application to be designated an area of 'water scarcity', which will allow them to make water metering compulsory for all households, has been approved, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Norman Baker MP, said:

"This decision is the correct one. The introduction of water metering in areas suffering from drought, particularly the South East of England, where there is less water per head of population than in the Sudan, will play a vital role in managing these resources in the future.

"The designated and area of 'water scarcity' should therefore be extended to the wider South East to allow even more widespread use of metering.

"This decision today places another stake at the heart of John Prescott's plan for a massive expansion of house building in the South East, which has taken almost no account of water supply needs.

"However, today's announcement does demonstrate how the Government is failing to take a cross-departmental lead on the issue. There is no co-ordinated strategy for dealing with the issue of scarcity of water resources.

"With this statement today the Government is hiding behind water companies and avoiding the harder decisions which need to be taken."