Policy information sourced from the Dartford Core Strategy
CS 25: Water Management
To manage the supply and quality of water and waste water / sewerage treatment capacity serving the community, to protect and enhance the quality of surface and groundwaters together with assisting in moving towards ‘water neutrality’ in the Thames Gateway, the Council will:
- Work with the water utility providers and monitor development to ensure that new development and water services are co-ordinated and that the pace of development does not outstrip the water supply and waste water / sewerage treatment capacity at any time. Where development is not capable of being adequately supplied, the Council will review the phasing of development and work with the utility providers and developers to address the capacity constraints at the earliest opportunity.
- Require all new homes to achieve at least level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes in terms of water use (105 litres per person per day) in advance of mandatory requirements. Where it can be demonstrated that a development is unable to meet these standards, permission will only be granted if the applicant makes provision for compensatory water savings elsewhere in the Borough.
- Sites of 500 units or more will be expected to act as exemplars. In addition to 2 above, they will be required to reduce dependence on potable water through rainwater harvesting, recycling of used water and reduction of water ‘hungry’ activity, and should be designed to enable later retrofitting to achieve the highest levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes in terms of water use.
- Require all non-residential developments of 1,000 sqm and above to meet the BREEAM ‘excellent’ standards of water efficiency.
- Work with and encourage water utility providers and social landlords to fit existing homes and other buildings with more efficient devices and appliances; reduce leakage; and expand metering.
For more information please see the Core Strategy