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This page will carry an assortment of items on Farmoor Reservoir from newspapers, press releases etc
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07 May 2008 Your water, your future
Thames Water publishes action plan to prevent future water shortages
The UK’s largest water supplier, Thames Water, today publishes a plan to reduce the risk of hosepipe bans and more severe water restrictions in the future.
The severity of the problems, along with the company’s proposals to address them, are set out in its draft Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP) ‘Water – planning for the future’, which is published today. Customers are urged to find out more and take part in the 16-week public consultation, which also launches today.
The plan shows how the company will cope with increased pressure on water supplies, from population growth, climate change and increased demand. Much of Thames Water’s supply area, which covers 8,000 sq km, is classed by the Environment Agency as ‘seriously water stressed’, with customers in London, Swindon, North and South Oxfordshire particularly at risk of water restrictions.
Thames Water Chief Executive David Owens said:
“The long and difficult drought we experienced in 2005 and 2006 brought home to all of us that we cannot be complacent about our water supplies. London actually gets less rainfall than Rome, Dallas or Istanbul, and only about half as much as Sydney. We’re working hard to reduce the risk of hosepipe bans or more severe restrictions, and making plans now to ensure that we are able to provide enough water to meet future needs.
“A big part of our plans will be focused on continuing to reduce leakage. We’ve been successful in the last two years, bringing leakage down to within the targets agreed with Ofwat, but both our customers and we know we can and must do more.
“We have been getting the views of our stakeholders, regulators and customers for some time now, with a wide-ranging consultation on Taking Care of Water, our Strategic Direction Statement , which sets out our overall priorities for the next 25 years.
“They have told us that continuing to tackle leakage must be our top priority, but they also want us to install more water meters and to help them to save water in their own homes. We agree and will be outlining a major programme of increased metering, as we believe it is by far the fairest way to charge for water. We also know that, provided we do all those things, customers will support the need for new resources. This plan reflects those views.
“My job is to make sure we have the right plans in place to ensure we have enough water for everyone. Our research shows that the combined pressures of population growth, climate change and increased consumption will put our supplies under severe stress. New resources, such as the reservoir proposed for the upper Thames region, in Oxfordshire, will be essential. I want every one of our customers to understand why we’re proposing initiatives like this, and that’s why it’s important that they get involved and have their say.”
The draft WRMP includes detailed, technical analysis on the current and predicted demand for water, the availability of supplies and a range of options for managing both. As this is a statutory consultation, respondents will be invited to comment on the plans in their entirety. However, key proposals include:
* Increased investment in tackling leakage
Building on the recent successes in reducing leakage from our network, particularly in London with the Victorian mains replacement programme, we will continue to invest in leakage control in London and the Thames Valley. Our current programme, which runs to 2010, will have reduced leakage levels by about a third. We are planning a further 24 % reduction, to around 520million litres per day (Ml/d), by 2020, with further reductions after that.
* Increased use of water metering
A 10-year programme of targeted progressive household metering is proposed, aiming to meter all buildings connected to the mains water supply by 2020, with 50% of homes having their own individual meter by 2015, rising to 80% by 2020. Trials on differential tariffs will be undertaken to ensure that vulnerable customers are not disadvantaged.
* Greater water efficiency
Recent consultations with our customers have revealed a strong desire for us to focus more on water efficiency education and help our customers make greater use of water saving technology. We will be offering water efficiency advice, technology and audits to every customer who we meter over the next 10 years.
* Integrated demand management (IDM)
This approach draws together different elements of our demand management strategies, maximising demand savings while minimising duplication of activity and reducing cost. Currently different activities are seen in isolation. Mains replacement, metering and water efficiency activities might take place in the same area, but at different times. With IDM, in an area where mains replacement is planned, we would also install water meters and promote water efficiency activities at the same time.
* New water resources
With population in the supply area predicted to swell by 1.2 million by 2035, combined with demographic change and the effects of climate change on water resource availability, new water resource schemes will be needed to help balance demand and supply. Key schemes proposed are:
- Reservoir in Oxfordshire to supply London, Swindon and Oxfordshire in 2021/22;
- Development of groundwater in Swindon, North and South Oxfordshire in 2014/15;
- Research into schemes to re-use effluent as a water supply scheme;
- Aquifer storage and recovery schemes in South London in 2014/15.
Participate in the Thames Water consultation on the draft Water Resources Management Plan
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Water Plans Revived
Phil Clee
Thursday October 30, 2003
The Oxford Star
PLANS to build a massive reservoir near Abingdon have resurfaced.
The announcement of the massive project stunned communities when it was first put forward by Thames Water almost a decade ago.
The huge structure, with earth walls several storeys high, was earmarked to be built between Steventon and East Hanney.
But after opposition, it was shelved when Thames Water announced it planned to stem its regional water losses with a programme of mains repairs.
Now water firms, facing rising demand and dwindling natural supplies, are looking to create a network of seven new reservoirs and six desalination plants.
The news comes just days after pictures taken by the Oxford Star showed how levels at Farmoor reservoir, had dropped dramatically.
A new Vale reservoir, costing an estimated £600m and covering some 3,500 acres, has been designed to meet the increasing demand from London, whose population is calculated to rise by 700,000 by 2016.
Thames Water spokesman Nick Tennant said the reservoir project could take 20 years to introduce.
He added: "It's something we have to consider because we have just had one of the driest summers on record.
"Climate change and population growth are the key reasons."
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£700m reservoir planned to avert
water shortages
Thames Water revives controversial plan to cope with supply
crisis
John
Vidal, environment editor
Monday October 27, 2003
The Guardian
More than 12
million Londoners face regular water shortages unless a £700m reservoir
and a £100m desalination plant are built within 20 years, according to
Thames Water.
Britain's largest water company yesterday claimed that even if it could
reduce the massive leakage from its 19th century system of mains water
pipes, it would still need to increase its water storage capacity
significantly .
A combination of population increase in the south-east, global climate
change and the increasing water consumption of households, has left Thames
Water no option but to radically rethink its storage capacity, said a
spokesman.
The company said it had revived a plan to build a £700m reservoir in
Oxfordshire, which would flood nearly four square miles of land between
Abingdon and Wantage, in the Vale of the White Horse. It also wants to
build a £100m desalination plant at Beckton, east London, to purify salt
water from the Thames. This, the company said, would act as an interim
measure while the reservoir was being built.
"It could take up to 20 years for the Abingdon reservoir to get through
planning inquiries, and then to build it and fill it," said a spokesman.
"But we cannot wait. All our projections show that demand for water will
outstrip supply within 20 years."
Natural population movements are expected to add 700,000 people to the
region by 2016. The Thames Gateway plan of the deputy prime minister, John
Prescott, would add to the pressure, with up to 200,000 extra homes on the
north and south banks of the river in east London.
Thames Water emphasised that the increasing droughts and floods
expected from global climate change made it imperative to act. "The south
and east is the driest area of Britain as it is, and climate change
projections all suggest that droughts will be more common in the future,"
the spokesman said. "Our major reservoir in Oxfordshire is only 40% full,
when it should be 80% at this time of year."
The company is pumping 14 million litres of water a day from an
underground aquifer, used only in emergencies.
However countryside groups yesterday argued that the water companies
should put their houses in order and help people to save water before
embarking on big projects which irreparably change landscapes and
invariably upset large numbers of people.
Thames Water has come under sustained criticism by the Environment
Agency and industry regulators for not repairing its leaks, which waste up
to 30% of its supply. Although it is spending £80m a year on repairs to
its mains pipes, it still loses almost 1 billion litres of water a year -
as much as most other large cities in Britain use in a year.
"The companies and the government are not doing enough to help people
save water," said Tony Juniper, director of Friends of the Earth. "They
should be encouraging water efficiency. Time and again politicians have
grandiose plans to build new towns and don't look at the most basic
ecological considerations."
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RWE Thames Water - Press Centre - 28-Nov-02
28-Nov-02
Hat Trick Of Habitat Schemes At Farmoor
Thames Water has joined forces with the Environment Agency to
create a third wetland nature reserve at Farmoor Reservoir, near
Oxford.
Buckthorn Meadow has been created on the flood plain, close to
the River Thames, and is the latest in a series of conservation
partnerships there between the two organisations. The 2.5-acre
site, due to open next summer, will provide a new type of habitat at
Farmoor, designed to attract a variety of wetland species such as
otters and bittern.
The new area follows Pinkhill Meadow, open since 1992, and Shrike
Meadow, which welcomed its first visitors in 2000. Both have
won conservation awards over the years, including the River Thames
Society Award and two OSCA’s (Oxfordshire Special Conservation
Awards), and it is hoped that Buckthorn Meadow will repeat their
success.
The £30,000 project, jointly funded by Thames Water and the
Environment Agency, will provide:
- A new 120-metre-long lake adjoining the river;
- Five smaller ponds and shallow pools to attract pond life,
such as frogs, dragonflies and wading birds; and
- A 100-metre-long restored ditch and hedgerow, providing a
haven for reed buntings and water voles.
Buckthorn Meadow will feature secluded reed-fringed ponds and
channels, offering a variety of viewing points for visitors. In
time, it is hoped that the wetlands will attract such wildlife as
otter, water vole, redshank, bittern and reed warblers, helping
re-establish local populations of these rare and declining
species.
The wetland was designed by the Environment Agency’s Landscape
Architect, Richard Hellier, in consultation with Thames Water’s
Biodiversity and Heritage Advisor, Mark Doughty.
Dr Peter Spillett, Thames Water’s Head of Environment, Quality
and Sustainability, said: “The Farmoor Wetlands have always provided
excellent opportunities to see wildlife in its natural setting.
“We are delighted to continue this successful collaboration with
the Environment Agency to create new and interesting habitats for
the public to enjoy.”
Innes Jones, the Environment Agency’s West Area Manager, said:
“We are pleased at the successful implementation of Buckthorn
Meadow.
“Building on the success of our previous work, the new scheme
transforms a relatively uninteresting piece of riverside grassland
into another attractive, valuable habitat. Through skilful design,
its intimate scale will increase the chances of seeing exciting
wetland wildlife.”
Visitors can access the nature reserve area at Farmoor from the
Thames towpath, and permit holders can also use the bird hides at
Pinkhill and Shrike Meadows. Anyone wishing to obtain a permit
should enquire at the Gate Three office.
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