The government is set to publish changes to Part H of the Building Regulations, covering water use, drainage and waste disposal.

The revisions, due to be published before the end of the month, are expected to mirror changes made to Part L, the energy regulations.

Part H will now focus on setting developers an overall target for the amount of water that the buildings will use, instead of prescribing fixtures and fittings.

They will also establish a benchmark for buildings’ performance that can then be ratcheted up through revisions.

John Tebbitt, Construction Products Association industry affairs director, said: “Most housebuilders are not going to have a problem. The big change is looking at the whole building.”