Water neutrality  Water neutrality is an ambitious concept which
aims to ensure there is enough water to support new development
without requiring additional water resources.  The definition
used by us and the Government is that the total water use after
a development does not exceed the total water use before
development.  Why do we need water neutrality  Water is a
precious resource that is under increased pressure from climate
change and population growth. By 2050, our population could
increase by as much as 20 million and climate change could
reduce the amount of water available. Further development must
be sustainable, and water neutrality can help to achieve this in
areas where water resources are under pressure and significant
development is planned.  How we can move towards water
neutrality  We published a major report with the Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Communities and
Local Government (CLG) in 2007 which showed it is possible to
move towards water neutrality in th