UK Water: Demand vs Supply

This Year 10 Geography lesson explores how water is unevenly distributed across the UK and why some regions face growing pressure on supply. Students investigate surplus and deficit areas using national maps, before analysing the physical, human and economic factors driving increased domestic water demand. The lesson then introduces major water transfer schemes, helping learners understand how the UK attempts to balance supply and demand across regions.

Through guided explanation and analytical tasks, students evaluate the environmental consequences of moving water long distances, considering both the benefits and the controversies surrounding large‑scale engineering solutions.

A PPT and worksheet are included, providing a ready‑to‑teach resource that supports map interpretation, explanation and evaluative thinking.

Learning Objective:
To understand how water demand varies across the UK and how transfer schemes aim to manage supply.

Success Criteria:

• Identify UK regions of water surplus and deficit.
• Analyse the factors driving increased domestic water demand.
• Explain how national water transfer schemes work.
• Evaluate the environmental impacts of moving water across the country.