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Flagship projects: Strategic Resource Options

We are working on three large-scale schemes called Strategic Resource Options (SROs). These flagship projects will ensure we secure essential water supply for the future.

Addressing future water needs

In 2020 The Environment Agency (EA) published its National Framework for Water Resources that explores England’s long-term water needs. This sets out the scale of action needed to ensure resilient water supplies to meet the needs of all users in the future.

It identified that, if no action is taken between 2025 and 2050, almost 3.5 billion extra litres of water per day will be required for public water supply to address future pressures.

Challenges facing the South West

The region has faced above average population growth, deteriorating raw water quality and the need to significantly reduce abstraction licences to protect river flows.

Due to these pressures, there will be a lack of water resources by 2050 - possibly as much as 131 megalitres per day which is the amount needed to supply approximately 1,190,909 million customers or more.

If no action is taken to improve the resilience of the region, the region is likely to face a shortfall in water availability by 2050. It is vitally important that we work together as a region to reduce the overall risk for the whole area.

  • 2050

    the year that the region will face a shortfall in water resources

  • 246

    megalitres of water is the potential scale of the deficit by 2050 - the amount needed to supply approximately 2.2 million people daily 

  • 3

    options identified to help to overcome the challenges of water shortages in the region

Assessing the options

We are planning for the future of the region’s water resources to ensure we can maintain essential supplies while protecting the environment in times of drought. We are, therefore, developing a broad suite of water supply options, including working collaboratively with water companies in the region on what is known as Strategic Resource Options (SROs).

SROs have been assessed and selected based on several factors, including the amount of water they will supply, benefits to the environment and how much they will cost. How these options have been assessed and selected are outlined in Water Resource Management Plans (WRMPs) which consider both large and small-scale solutions.

Strategic Resource Options (SROS)

SROs are large-scale solutions that generate new water resources which can be used regionally. They involve multiple water companies and will provide a significant yield (typically more than 10 Ml/d).

SRO options that have been assessed include:

  • new reservoirs: constructing new reservoirs that store water from wet periods for use in dry periods. These typically comprise a dam across a natural river valley but may also be fully bunded reservoirs. The reservoir is either filled from its natural catchment, by springs or by pumping from a river when flows in the river are high
  • enhancements to existing reservoirs: this can be enhanced by the addition of pumped storage to increase their drought resilience and by dam raising
  • abstraction from rivers: this is limited to the abstraction of excess winter flows to refill storage reservoirs, a small number of less environmentally sensitive under-utilised rivers, and rivers that are regulated by releases from an upstream reservoir
  • desalination: this treatment process turns seawater into drinking water. While desalination is a crucial element in the smaller-scale water supply for the Isles of Scilly, it is considered an option of last resort for the remainder of the South West due to the high carbon footprint, maintenance costs and lack of appropriate locations
  • inter and intra company/regional transfers: moving water between water companies as and when needed.

All the schemes need further detailed technical and environmental assessments.  

Water Resources Management Plans

WRMPs will continue to appraise smaller local supply-side water resource developments. Although smaller than the strategic solutions, these options will likely be lower cost and quicker to implement, so they will still form a vital part of the overall regional plan and individual water company.

West Country Water and Environment (WCWE) has introduced a range of measures comprising infrastructure investment, nature-based solutions, land management, significant reductions in leakage and helping customers reduce their water use. While the above will help reduce the demand, more is needed to address the shortfall. WCWE, in partnership with its members and stakeholders, has identified the following three strategic resource options for the region.
A new reservoir at Cheddar is one of the three flagship schemes being undertaken to secure water resources across the region for generations to come.
We are planning a new reservoir in the Mendip Hills so that we can keep water flowing for our customers, communities and business across the West Country.
The Poole Water Recycling and Transfer scheme is one of the three flagship projects to secure water resources across the West Country for the future.