Last reviewed: 3.5.2011 - 7.38am
As part of our water resources planning process, we look at how to address the deficit between supply and demand.
Reducing demand
Firstly, we look to reduce demand by tackling leakage, installing water meters and encouraging people to use less water.
New water resources
We then look at developing new resources to bridge the deficit. Examples include new groundwater sources, water transfers from other areas, desalination and reservoirs.
Upper Thames Reservoir
In addition to fixing leaks and installing meters, in the longer term, we believe that a strategic regional resource is required to guarantee water supply to customers in Swindon, Oxfordshire and London. Our preferred long-term option is to build a reservoir in Oxfordshire by 2026.
This balance of developing new water sources while seeking to reduce the demand for water is an important part of how we plan for the future.
The reservoir forms part of a package of measures and, although not the cheapest solution, it has the greatest overall cost-benefit including environmental, social and carbon considerations.
Considerable uncertainties
Our plans are constantly evolving as a result of the depth and duration of the economic recession, new climate change scenarios, and the possibility of reductions in our existing abstraction licences on environmental grounds.
Previous calculations suggested we would require a reservoir that could hold 150 million cubic metres by 2021, and more recently a reservoir with a capacity of 100 million cubic metres by 2026.
We will monitor these factors closely and any changes will be reflected in our Water Resources Management Plan, which is reviewed annually.
Follow the link below to the Water Resources Management Plan section for more information on the water resources planning process.
