Deadline draws near for feedback on proposed Anglian Water reservoir near Sleaford
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The consultation includes an emerging design for the reservoir – between Scredington, Helpringham and Swaton – together with proposals for how to fill the reservoir, treat the water, and transfer it to homes and business.
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Hide AdThis includes a combination of channels, pipelines and different types of equipment to ensure safe drinking water is on tap when it’s needed.
The proposals have incorporated feedback from the project’s first phase of consultation last year and also involve the displacement of around 50 homes and businesses in that area.
The proposed new reservoir is planned to help secure water supply for the future and strengthen resilience to drought, while also protecting the environment by enabling a reduction in the amount of water taken from environmentally sensitive rivers and underground aquifers.
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Hide AdWhen there is available water in rivers that would otherwise drain to the sea, the reservoir would store the water for when it is needed, explains the water company. It could supply enough water for around half a million homes in Lincolnshire and Anglian Water’s wider region.
Projections from the Met Office show that the East of England will become hotter and drier in summer, and wetter in winter, meaning that there is a pressing need to store winter water to cope with summer droughts.
Anglian Water experts says unless bold action is taken, the demand for water will outstrip the available supply by nearly 600 million litres per day by 2050, making the reservoir project “vital for the continued growth and prosperity of the region”.
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Hide AdPeople are invited to provide their feedback on the design for the reservoir, including the ideas for recreation and wildlife. Comments are also sought on the infrastructure, channels, and pipeline routes needed to transfer water to and from the reservoir.
Geoff Darch, Head of Supply and Demand at Anglian Water, said: “This project is a significant investment in England’s water infrastructure and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver lasting benefits for people, place and the environment, while crucially keeping taps running.
“Local communities and other stakeholders have an important role to play in helping to inform how the project is developed so it best serves the needs of the local area and broader region, now and long into the future.
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Hide Ad“This consultation is the opportunity for people to provide feedback on the features they would like to see included in the reservoir and what impacts our proposals could have so we can assess ways to manage them.
“We’d like to thank members of local communities who have already attended events and provided their feedback in recent weeks – this engagement is incredibly valuable to the further development of our proposals. We’d encourage everyone who’d like to have their say to give their feedback by August 9.”
Details of how to provide feedback, and further information on the project are on Anglian Water’s website at www.lincsreservoir.co.uk. Some information about frequently asked questions is also available on the website, at www.lincsreservoir.co.uk/faqs.
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Hide AdThis consultation is the second phase in a multi-phase consultation approach, with at least one more to follow.
Ensuring a resilient water supply for the future forms part of Anglian Water’s £9 billion business plan for 2025-30, currently with Ofwat for approval. Over the next five years, the company will continue work on its network of strategic water pipelines, which will transport water from wetter to drier areas of its region. The company’s plans for this period also propose £184 million of investment to renew 688km of climate vulnerable water mains.
From April 1, 2024 until March 31, 2025, the average combined bill (for water and sewerage services) for Anglian Water customers is increasing by eight per cent - £1.45 per day to help the company deal with changing climate and water demand.
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