Ofwat has today given the green light to continue investigation
into three new reservoirs, which could supply water for millions
of customers.
The reservoir proposals sit alongside nine other infrastructure
projects being moved to the next stage of development as part of
the regulator's ongoing efforts to deliver more sustainable and
resilient water supplies for the future.
The new reservoirs would be in Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire, and
Cambridgeshire and could meet the needs of over 3 million
customers. The overall package of 12 proposed solutions, from
seven different water companies, also includes recycling water,
and transferring water from where there is more to where there is
less.
The programme of infrastructure investment is overseen by the
Regulators Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development
(RAPID) an alliance of water regulators in England and Wales with
support from CCW, Natural England and Natural Resources Wales.
RAPID have been working for four years to bring forward major
investment and infrastructure innovations to benefit customers
and the environment.
These 12 schemes will now receive ring-fenced funding to further
investigate the technical issues and environmental impacts to
inform decision-making by companies on the best-value solutions.
The proposed solutions are now open for representations and there
will be further opportunities for stakeholders to comment as the
plans progress.
While RAPID has endorsed taking these plans to the next stage of
development, the ultimate decisions will be taken through the
Water Resources Management Planning (WRMP) process overseen by UK
and Welsh Governments. The schemes will also need to obtain
planning permission and other permits.
Paul Hickey, RAPID Managing Director said:
"The water sector needs to act now to secure future needs of
customers and the environment. Finding new sustainable and
resilient ways to maintain water supply across the country is
vital, and all the more pressing given climate change, the
increase in population and economic development.
"These schemes we are moving to the next stage of planning could
meet the needs for millions of customers while safeguarding the
environment."
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Read: Ofwat’s draft decisions on
the gate two solutions.
-
Letters to
companies– Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Cambridge Water
(South Staffs Water), Severn Trent Water, Southern Water,
Thames Water, United Utilities.
-
Infographics of the
proposed solutions
-
The Regulators’ Alliance
for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID)was set
up in 2019. It is a partnership made up of the water regulators
– Ofwat, the Environment Agency (EA), the Drinking Water
Inspectorate (DWI).
- RAPID was formed to help
facilitate the development and funding of these new large scale
strategic water supply solutions. Each of the strategic solutions
will pass through a gated process where decisions are made on
delivery penalties and solution progression.
- RAPID continues to closely monitor
progress of the solutions through regular checkpoint with the
water companies.
- Cheddar Two Source and Transfer and
Poole Effluent Recycling and Transfers draft decisions have been
postponed due to the delayed publication of South West Water’s
water resource management plan. They will be published on 10 May
2023.
