Cheddar Reservoir Strategic Resource Option
A new reservoir at Cheddar is one of the three flagship schemes being undertaken by West Country Water and Environment (WCWE) to secure water resources across the region for generations to come.
What we will be doing
We are proposing to build a second reservoir which will provide around 20Ml/d of drinking water by 2035-36 during the summer months. This is enough to supply water to approximately 100,000 people daily.
A new reservoir will also help to overcome the challenges of climate change and increased water stress in the West Country.
It will be supplied with water from the Cheddar Springs and when required the River Axe.
The project also involves the upgrade and construction of new associated water pipelines across the region to enable the transfer of water southwards.
In addition to building service reservoirs and pumping stations along the new pipelines, the existing water treatment works (WTWs) will be upgraded to enable it to treat the additional water stored by the new reservoir. The upgrade will also make the WTWs more resilient, ensuring a reliable access to water all year round.
The development of the second reservoir will also provide opportunities to improve local wildlife habitats and create recreational and community amenities.
Development of the scheme will be overseen by the Regulators Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID), a partnership of the three national water regulators, Ofwat, the Environment Agency, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate. RAPID was formed to support and accelerate the development of new water supply infrastructure to meet future water needs.
Why is it needed?
In the West Country we need to find new ways to store water so we can continue to meet the demand from our customers, communities and businesses.
Without developing new ways to store water and transport it, we are likely to face shortages in the future caused by:
- a growing population
- more heatwaves and droughts
- tighter environmental regulations reducing the volume of water that can be taken from the environment.
What is happening now?
While the need for the second reservoir has been accepted, the project is still in the planning and early design stages.
Preparatory work is ongoing in the background to establish the impacts on the environment of a second reservoir, WTWs upgrade and new pipelines. This work will inform our early consultation with residents, communities, businesses and stakeholders.
The Environment Agency, Historic England, Natural England, Somerset Internal Drainage Board and local authorities are among the statutory bodies being consulted during these early stages.
A range of surveys will take place during 2024-26 including engineering, archaeological and environmental surveys to inform the project.
How will the community be consulted?
As the project develops, we will be working closely with local communities and landowners to address any potential concerns they may have.
Households and landowners neighbouring the proposed reservoir site and the potential pipeline will be contacted and asked to complete a Land Information Questionnaire to establish who has land or property interests in the area.
We will be contacting anyone that will be directly affected by this project so that we can understand their concerns and address those wherever possible.
We will also be holding open days so people can talk to us about the scheme.
This consultation will start in 2025 and will involve a wide range of organisations including statutory authorities, regulators, catchment partnerships, customers and local community groups.
Timescales
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2025: public consultation.
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Spring 2027: planning application submitted.
