It’s time to find a consensus about the future of water.
From 19 October to 19 November, we’re inviting people across the UK to take part in an online survey about how we might restore our failing water system to secure a future for all life.
We are using an easy-to-use and democratic online survey tool called Polis, that is designed to analyse large numbers of varied responses and draw out threads of agreement.
Have your say on the future of water here!
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Why are we doing this?
Water is essential to all life on Earth, yet a growing crisis threatens our access to this vital resource. Oceans, rivers and waterways are being polluted by sewage, ageing water infrastructure is failing under increasing pressure, and climate change and population growth are making it harder to guarantee a secure supply for the future – yet the government is fast-tracking planning permissions for new data centres which each use as much water as a small town.
At the same time, public trust in organisations responsible for managing our water has been badly damaged. Even Ofwat (The Water Services Regulation Authority) acknowledges that the current levels of harm caused by storm overflow discharges cannot be allowed to continue, while recognising the need for major investment to secure future water supplies.
What can be done?
There are big questions facing the UK’s water system. How can we make sure there is enough water for everyone in the future? How should we tackle sewage pollution and protect our rivers? Who should own and manage our water? And how do we make sure decisions about this vital resource reflect what people actually want?
These questions are too important to be decided by politicians, companies and regulators alone – we want this survey to ensure the voices of the people are heard.
how does this survey work?
We are using a system called Polis, which, instead of asking you to choose between a fixed set of options, allows participants to respond to statements, vote on other people’s ideas, and contribute their own. As more people take part, the statements that attract the greatest agreement become the most visible.
This means we can move beyond the loudest voices and find a true consensus that will bring us together.
Finding common ground
Some people will prioritise clean rivers and beaches. Others will be concerned about bills, reliable water supplies, investment, ownership, or the impact of climate change.
A Polis survey doesn’t require everyone to agree with each other. Rather than trying to find the majority opinion, it finds common ground between people who may disagree on certain issues.
We want to bring together thousands of people from different backgrounds, ages, regions and perspectives, so that we can build a richer picture of what the country as-a-whole wants from its water system, as well as practical, realistic ideas for how to achieve this.
The results will be a set of priorities shaped by the UK population, and a clear mandate from the general public, backed by concrete evidence. We will use this mandate to demand that the government listens, takes these priorities seriously, and acts on them.
Have your say on the future of water from 19 October to 19 November. Join XR’s mailing list to stay updated on this landmark conversation on the future of water.
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