Water

In 2001, the South West consumed an estimated 2,975,939 megalitres (Ml) of water, of which 12% was consumed from public supplies and 88% was sourced from private supplies.

Table 15 provides a breakdown of public water consumption by sector, in 2001. Overall, companies supplied a total 440,216 Ml of water, but only 351,224 Ml was delivered to the consumer so an estimated 20% of water supplied is lost through leakage.

Table 16 highlights private water abstraction from surface and ground sources, by sector. Electricity production was the most significant user of private water, 61% of total private water abstracted. The fish farming industry was also a significant user, abstracting 37% of the total. As water for fish farming is usually abstracted from nearby surface water and piped through tanks or ponds and then discharged back into rivers or seawaters, the net abstraction is very low or zero (Scottish Executive, 2002).