Letter: Where Is The Water Supply Going to Come From?

Published on: 11 Aug, 2022
Updated on: 11 Aug, 2022

From: Jim Allen

In response to: Local Hose Pipe Ban Expected Soon While a Quarter of Water Supplied is Lost to Leaks

It seems that reality has set in at Thames Water (drinking water) division, and at the local council’s planning department.

The law says the water provider “must provide water” for any homes built. But there comes a time when there is simply insufficient supply.

I sat through all the Water Resources in the South East Seminars. These are the people who are deciding what water goes where. (It’s coming from the River Severn and the Pennines via Coventry sewage treatment plant for those interested.)

I asked Thames Water, two questions:

1. Where is the water going to come from for the 47,500 additional people (that’s 142 litres times 47,500 every day!) expected into the water catchment area in the next 20-30 years?

The answer given: “We have a river that never stops flowing (the Tillingbourne) and a well which never runs dry!” But rainfall in the catchment area is not refilling the aquifers. (Look up Lake Baikal as an example of what can happen.)

2. What happens when the natural supply capacity, plus the recycled water treatment capacity fails to meet demand capacity? In the South East in general there is, currently, a 7 per cent shortage

Their response: “Good question,” with no answer following. Not too reassuring.

So complain about the leaks if you wish, at least they are going back into the aquifers, but when there is simply not enough water we are all in trouble.

Responses to Letter: Where Is The Water Supply Going to Come From?

Jules Cranwell Reply

August 12, 2022 at 8:18 am

Yet more proof (if any were needed) that the Local Plan is unsound, and requires an urgent review. 20,000 new homes in a borough with an already crumbling infrastructure is unsustainable.

Yet the council sits on its hands, and does nothing to deliver its promised review.
David Smith Reply

August 13, 2022 at 10:22 am

Are we all not getting bored with the same comments from a certain view? People can move if they are not happy with their surroundings.
- Ben Paton Reply
  
  August 14, 2022 at 11:25 am
  
  Never mind micro aggression. How’s this for ‘macro’ aggression?
  
  Why doesn’t David Smith spell out what he means by, “People can move if they are not happy with their surroundings?”
  
  An accurate translation into plain English would be: “Anyone who wants to criticise water infrastructure planning can go back to where they came from.”
  
  How charming. How refined. How brilliantly reasoned and evidenced.
  - Jim Allen Reply
    
    August 14, 2022 at 7:41 pm
    
    I thank Ben Paton for his comment. Me moving to Alaska will not change the fact water demand is greater than supply in the South East of England.
Frank Emery Reply

August 24, 2022 at 9:09 pm

We are currently not allowed to use a hose pipe as it is a waste of water, but there are presently gallons of water flowing down Woodbridge Hill, past my house, from a leak which has been going for at least a week now.

Thames Water, what a load of rubbish.