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This research modelled the possible effects of climate change, population growth, environmental protection measures and trends in water use to produce a wide range of future scenarios. The results suggest that, in some scenarios, the United Kingdom is facing longer, more frequent and more acute droughts than previously thought.

To contain the risk of drought extensive measures to manage demand and enhance supplies of water are needed such as (pp. 194-195):

• promoting more efficient water use in homes and businesses, through improved building standards and widespread use of smart metering, as well as more ambitious reduction in leakage from water mains;
• moving more water from one region to another through existing waterways and new pipelines, building new reservoirs, treating more water for re-use and building desalination plants to make use of sea water.