A campaign to avert a national water crisis has been launched in St Albans outside the Cathedral.

Affinity Water has created its #WhyNotWater campaign in anticipation of a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announcement to consult on lowering the national water usage target by 2050.

Water in the south east is in particular crisis because there is less rainfall over this region and population growth could mean severe shortages in the next 25 years.

The campaign calls on the population to demand key energy and water saving legislative changes.

There will be a large ice installation at the St Albans launch, which represents 8,000 litres of water the average family of four uses in two weeks.

It is all part of the St Albans Sustainability Festival 2019.

Director of communications, communities and corporate affairs at Affinity Water, Jake Rigg, said: "We must act now to avert a crisis. We need to increase the supply of water through new options and by moving water between areas and by reducing demand.

"The most effective way of doing this is by introducing a mandatory water efficiency labelling scheme and without, we will have a crisis on our hands."

The #WhyNotWater manifesto asks the government to introduce obligatory water efficiency labels so buyers can make informed choices, give tenants more rights to water saving products in rented accommodation, and ensure fixtures and fittings meet minimum standards.

He added: "We need to work in collaboration with government, the water companies, and civil society, but with fierce urgency. That is why we have launched this campaign.

"Consumers are used to energy labelling in Britain and manufacturers have responded by reducing the energy consumption of white goods.

"We have this for energy, why not water?

"All we are asking for is a common-sense approach to water."

Find out more about the campaign at www.whynotwater.co.ukAffinity Water has also created a petition urging the government to take more action. View it at www.affinitywater.co.uk/ourpetitionThe launch in St Albans took place on May 10 at 4pm outside St Albans Cathedral.