A THINK tank set up to plan for the future of the region's water supply says action is needed now or there will be significant shortages in decades to come.

Water Resource East is one of five nationwide organisations set up by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency. It covers an area from Thurrock and the Thames estuary in the south to the East Midlands.

Over the next three years it will be working to develop a single, multi-sector, best value, and adaptive regional plan for water management across Eastern England – and has already warned action is going to be needed to meet significantly increased demand.

The East of England will be short of water by up to 1.6 billion litres per day by the 2050s it has warned. That's enough to supply up to six million people.

The deficit has been described by Water Resource East's managing director, Dr Robin Price, as "very worrying and very stark". It adds there could be a catastrophic impact on the area's communities, economy and environment if the problem is left unchecked.

On an average day the region uses 2,311 million litres of water a day. Around 85 per cent is used for public water supply. Most of the rest is used for spray irrigation, power generation and in the manufacturing and food and drink sectors.

Dr Price said: "The problem is very worrying and very stark.Our modelling now shows that by the 2050s the additional water requirement for the East of England will be somewhere between 531 and 1,656 megalitres per day.

"That is the additional water that will be needed. Two things are terrifying about those numbers .

"The first is the size – 531 megalitres is enough to supply around two million customers. That is an enormous number and the other worrying thing is the gap between those numbers.

"Some of the work we are doing is understanding the future demand for water.

"Whatever, it is staggering and without action the region is going to run short of water by an enormous volume by the 2050s. There is big trouble brewing."

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "A changing climate and a growing population is putting unprecedented pressures on our water resources.

"Without taking action, we would not have enough water to supply our needs in the future. The Environment Agency is working closely with water companies, the government and water users to protect the environment.

"In the East of England, we have some of the highest levels of personal consumption in the UK: on average, everyone uses 140 litres a day. The independent Waterwise is aiming towards 100 litres a day. We all need to make changes and use water more wisely – every single person has a part to play in this national effort."