South East Water.has published it Water Resources Management plan setting out a £2.3 billion package of work to secure future drinking water supplies in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire for the next 50 years.
The plans include leak reduction and water efficiency activities, new reservoirs, desalination and water recycling projects as well as a network of new pipes to improve how water is moved around the south east.
The company will invest £1.2 billion during the next 50 years building large-scale infrastructure projects such as reservoirs, new transfers and desalinations schemes, while also spending a further £1.1 billion to reduce leaks by half by 2075 as well as decrease customer and business water use.
At its core, the 50-year Water Resources Management Plan 2024 details how the company will keep customers’ taps running into the future, by striking a delicate balance between ensuring there is additional water to supply a growing population, while protecting the environment and adding value to society.
The plan is closely linked with Water Resources South East (WRSE) regional plan which looks at how water will be sourced and supplied to a growing population across the whole South East region for the next 50 years.
Both plans outline how the additional water needed can be delivered through both reducing demand and leakage as well as substantial investment in new infrastructure.
Nick Price, South East Water’s Head of Water Resources, said:
“Our ability to supply water is under increasing pressure due to a growing population, climate change and new laws to protect the environment.
“We’ve worked hard to create a regional solution which addresses those pressures, whilst also providing a benefit to the environment and local communities.
“These plans are very much long-term and have taken into account the extreme weather we have experienced in recent years and the changing pattern we have seen in the demand for water.
“The wide-ranging plan has been guided by extensive research, detailed data, customer involvement, and engagement with stakeholders and other interested parties.”
The plan is closely linked with Water Resources South East (WRSE) regional plan which looks at how water will be sourced and supplied to a growing population across the whole South East region for the next 50 years.
Both plans outline how the additional water needed can be delivered through both reducing demand and leakage as well as substantial investment in new infrastructure.
The WRSE plan includes:
- Leak reduction and water efficiency activities
- New pipelines to increase the amount of water that moves between water companies and also within our supply area
- A new reservoir at Broad Oak (Kent)
- A second reservoir at Arlington
- A water recycling scheme at Peacehaven Wastewater Treatment Works
- Water treatment works improvements
- Desalination at Reculver (Kent)
Click here to download the Technical Summary for South East Water’s WRMP
Click here to access supporting documents