To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to ensure the maximum recovery and recycling of grey water in (a) the development of new sustainable communities and (b) regeneration of existing communities. (117481)

On 13 December we published a consultation paper on water efficiency. The standards which it proposes will not usually require facilities for recycling water. However, savings from recycling could be used to balance the effects of appliances that use a large amount of water.

On the same day we published the Code for Sustainable Homes. The code sets out six levels of performance, with minimum standards for water and energy efficiency at each level. It does not prescribe which technologies are needed to achieve each level—allowing home builders the flexibility to innovate.

We are currently carrying out a study on the sustainability of existing buildings. We expect to report on this in the summer.