THE importance of saving water has been highlighted in a new report from the Environment Agency.

Water Resources for the Future is the agency's plan for a robust and flexible framework for the management of the country's water for the next 25 years.

It states that water is a scarce resource and outlines a series of solutions to avoid any adverse effects on the environment.

Mike Eggboro, regional water resources manager for the agency, said: "We ask all those who take water from the environment to use it wisely. In the last few years, great strides have been made in leakage control and in awareness of water efficiency methods.

"In the north west, we foresee a need to increase availability of water by up to 40 million litres every day over the next 25 years.

"This is not a huge amount of extra water, but we must work together to guarantee it is available."

Advice includes turning off the tap while cleaning your teeth, having a shower instead of a bath, checking for leaky taps and pipes and collecting water in a butt for use in the garden.