Industrial water consumption in drought-stricken England far exceeds household use
Businesses in England draw about 2.6 bn litres of water daily from public supplies, representing roughly 30% of total use, while most of the country faces severe drought.
Mosl, which runs England's business water market, reports that companies collectively take 2.6 bn litres of water each day from the public system, about 30% of total supply, with two-thirds of that use in water-stressed regions. The biggest disclosed consumer is the Esso refinery in Fawley, Southampton, though the site hosts multiple operators. Regulators say a lack of transparent data and commercial confidentiality prevent proper water-resource planning, especially for fast-growing sectors like data centres and hydrogen production.
Only a small fraction of businesses are metered, and smart-meter adoption is low, limiting insight into actual consumption. Mosl is negotiating data-sharing agreements with Defra and the Environment Agency while urging mandatory reporting to improve water security.
Why it matters
Understanding industrial water use is crucial for managing scarce resources during England's severe drought.
In this story
