Appendix C: Revised draft water resources management plans supply options
Updated 20 December 2024
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2024
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This appendix sets out further detail regarding the supply options included in revised draft WRMPs. These are each individually expected to offer at least 10 Ml/d benefit during the planning period. This is a summary and subject to change as plans are finalised. Further information on individual schemes can be found in the relevant water company draft WRMPs published on their respective websites.
Reservoirs
The largest source of new water will be provided by reservoirs. Water companies are proposing 10 new reservoirs, each with a daily supply in excess of 10 Ml/d by 2050. The largest of these, the South East Strategic Resource Option, will provide water to Thames Water, Affinity Water and Southern Water customers. These reservoirs are listed in table 5.
Table 5: Proposed reservoirs in order of operational start year
| Reservoirs | Water company | Daily supply (Ml/d) | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broad Oak | South East Water | 12.6 | 2033 |
| Cheddar 2 | South West Water | 13 | 2035 |
| Fens | Anglian Water, Cambridge Water | 87 | 2036 |
| Mendips Quarry | South West Water | 46 | 2042 |
| River Adur offline reservoir | Southern Water | 19.5 | 2045 |
| South East Strategic Resource Option | Thames Water, Affinity Water, Southern Water | 293 | 2039 |
| South Lincs | Anglian Water | 166.5 | 2040 |
| North Suffolk | Essex and Suffolk Water | 19.9 | 2040 |
| West Midlands | Severn Trent Water | 32.5 | 2040 |
Work is already underway on Portsmouth Water’s Havant Thicket reservoir, set out in the company’s WRMP19. This will supply an expected 21 Ml/d , with a latest forecast completion date of 2029-30.
Reservoir enlargement
Table 6: Reservoir enlargement schemes
| Reservoir enlargement | Water company | Daily supply (Ml/d) | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tittesworth | Severn Trent Water | 14 | 2049 |
Water recycling
Another widespread option type selected is indirect water recycling, which involves putting advanced treated water into an intermediary body (a lake or river) which is subsequently abstracted from when required. All daily supply figures are to the nearest whole number. Table 7 below sets out the selected water recycling schemes which are each expected to provide 10 Ml/d or above.
Table 7: Proposed recycling schemes
| Recycling schemes | Water company | Daily supply (Ml/d) | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teddington (a direct river abstraction supported by water recycling) | Thames Water | 67 | 2032 |
| Lowestoft | Essex and Suffolk Water | 11 | 2032 |
| Colchester | Anglian Water | 17 | 2032 |
| Hampshire | Portsmouth Water and Southern Water | 60 | 2035 |
| Littlehampton | Southern Water | 15 | 2031 |
| Medway | Southern Water | 14 | 2028 |
| Poole | Wessex Water | 13 | 2042 |
Desalination
Water companies are also proposing new desalination plants in excess of 10 Ml/d on the south and east coasts of England. Desalination removes the salt from the sea or estuaries and purifies it to provide water suitable for drinking.
Table 8: Desalination schemes
| Desalination scheme | Water company | Daily supply (Ml/d) | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holland on Sea | Anglian Water | 25 | 2040 |
| Mablethorpe | Anglian Water | 63 | 2040 |
| Bacton | Anglian Water | 25 | 2040 |
| Reculver | South East Water | 30 | 2043 |
| Isle of Sheppey | Southern Water | 20 | 2046 |
| Thames Estuary | Southern Water | 40 | 2040 |
| East Thanet | Southern Water | 20 | 2041 |
| Tidal Arun | Southern Water | 10 | 2046 |
In addition to the above proposals, work is already underway on South West Water’s Par desalination. This will supply up to 20 Ml/d upon completion of the second phase.
New surface water
Table 9: New surface water schemes
| New surface water | Water company | Daily supply (Ml/d) | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Sow | Severn Trent Water | 23 | 2045 |
| River Weaver | Severn Trent Water | 20 | 2049 |
| River Nar (abstraction relocation) | Anglian Water | 12.3 | 2030 |
| Ibsley Lakes | South West Water | 10 | 2035 |
Water treatment works capacity
Table 10: Water treatment works capacity schemes
| WTW capacity increase | Water company | Daily supply (Ml/d) | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strensham | Severn Trent Water | 15 | 2030 |
| Shelton | Severn Trent Water | 18 | 2030 |
| Ogston | Severn Trent Water | 15 | 2049 |
| PInn | Thames Water | 25 | 2044 |
| Medmenham | Thames Water | 12 | 2049 |
| Elvington 2 | Yorkshire Water | 10 | 2035 |
New groundwater
Table 12: New groundwater schemes
| New groundwater | Water company | Daily supply (Ml/d) | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwood Sandstone | Yorkshire Water | 15 | 2035 |
| Longham Aquifer Recharge | South West Water | 10 | 2035 |
Drought permits and orders
Some water companies will be relying upon the benefits of drought permits and orders to maintain resilience, particularly in the near-term. A list of larger drought options (10 Ml/d or above) included in the WRMPs is set out in table 13. We expect water companies to reduce their reliance on supply-side drought measures over time, and to remove all reliance on environmentally risky drought permits by 2040. This needs to happen faster than is currently set out in some plans.
Table 13: Supply side drought permit and orders
| Drought permit or order | Water company | Daily supply (Ml/d) | Start year and end year |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Severn | Severn Trent Water | 24 | 2025 to 2050 |
| River Lune | United Utilities | 12 | 2025 to 2050 |
| Ullswater | United Utilities | 14 | 2025 to 2050 |
| Windermere | United Utilities | 24 | 2025 to 2050 |
| River Test | Southern Water | 80 | 2025-2041 |
| Lower Itchen | Southern Water | 38 | 2025-2030 |
| River Medway | Southern Water | 17 | 2025-2041 |
| Pulborough surface water | Southern Water | 23 | 2025-2041 |