Water use

During 2008/09, we have used approximately 5.3 million cubic metres (mcm) of water for both operational and non-operational purposes across our operations. Of this, some 2.4 mcm  was extracted water, used by our generating facilities in the US (0.3 mcm) and for cooling underground electricity cables in the UK (2.1 mcm). The majority of extracted water used in the UK is returned to source.

This equates to some 336 cubic metres per £ million of revenue.

There is no direct comparison with previous years due to the first time inclusion of water used by our ex-KeySpan operations.

Water use
2008/09 (Cubic metres)
Total mains and extracted water
5,250,108
2007/08 (Cubic metres)
Total mains and extracted water
3,458,587
2006/07 (Cubic metres)
Total mains and extracted water
3,620,683
2005/06 (Cubic metres)
Total mains and extracted water
3,115,271
2004/05 (Cubic metres)
Total mains and extracted water
4,470,266

Includes town main and extracted water.







Data prior to 2008/09 excludes KeySpan.



Water use breakdown
2008/09 (Cubic metres)
Mains water
2,877,504
Extracted water
2,372,605
2007/08 (Cubic metres)
Mains water
1,702,089
Extracted water
1,756,498
2006/07 (Cubic metres)
Mains water
1,586,692
Extracted water
2,033,991
2005/06 (Cubic metres)
Mains water
1,026,397
Extracted water
2,088,874
2004/05 (Cubic metres)
Mains water
1,221,001
Extracted water
3,249,265

Data prior to 2008/09 excludes KeySpan