Planned mega-reservoir takes next step forward

8 hours ago

Dave GilyeatSouth of England

News image — The proposed reservoir would supply 15 million people in the south east (Thames Water artist's impression)

Thames Water An artist's aerial view of how the new reservoir would look as the sun sets on the horizon. — The proposed reservoir would supply 15 million people in the south east (Thames Water artist's impression)

Plans for a large reservoir are to move forward to a planning application.

The White Horse Reservoir, formerly known as the South East Strategic Reservoir Option, near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, will supply 15 million people in the south east of England.

The Regulators' Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) has confirmed the "key milestone" had been reached.

Thames Water insists the project, costing £7.5bn, is a "vital piece of national water infrastructure".

An 11-week consultation on the reservoir, which is expected to be about 4.5 sq miles (7 sq km) - roughly the same size as Gatwick Airport - ended in January.

The scheme has met with a mixed response from residents.

Countryside charity CPRE Oxfordshire and water safety group Safer Waters sought a judicial review at the High Court, saying it would devastate local ecology and livelihoods, but it was dismissed.

Customers of Thames Water, Affinity Water and Southern Water are all due to pay for the new reservoir through their bills.

Water shortfall

RAPID, a partnership between Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate, oversees the early development of large-scale infrastructure projects regarding future water supply.

Managing director Paul Hickey said there was a projected water shortfall of more than two billion litres a day by 2055.

"The White Horse Reservoir is a major part of the plan for addressing this gap, providing resilient water supplies for up to 15 million customers across London and the south east," he said.

"This next step will allow the companies to complete the essential preparatory work needed to keep this scheme on track to be construction-ready by 2029.

"We will continue to apply rigorous scrutiny at every stage to make sure this project delivers for customers, local communities and the environment."

Thames Water hopes the facility will be operational from 2040.

It said it changed the name to White Horse Reservoir in January to give it a more recognisable name and because it "roots the project in local heritage and the natural world around us".

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