Thames Water publishes its Water Resources Management Plan including proposals for a new reservoir and a water recycling project

Thames Water has published its Water Resources Management Plan 24 (WRMP), setting out its commitment to deliver a safe and sustainable water supply for the next five years.

The plan was approved for publication by the Government on the 21 August 2024 and includes proposals for a new reservoir for the South East and a water recycling project in West London.

Thames Water forecasts that it will need an additional 1 billion litres of water every day for its customers by 2050, and has also calculated that a severe drought could cost London’s economy as much £500 million a day.

Thames Water is one of five water utilities across the region to receive Government approval for their plans. Companies have taken a collaborative approach, working with Water Resources South East (WRSE) to look beyond their boundaries and create plans which benefit the whole region.

Nevil Muncaster, Thames Water’s Asset and Engineering Director said:

“The vital importance of water for all of society, and for the environment, means that we are committed to delivering this plan. Our region faces substantial pressure on its water resources and it’s our responsibility to provide a reliable supply of high-quality drinking water for generations to come.

“The Government’s approval of our plan also demonstrates confidence in our ability to build nationally significant infrastructure projects, enabling us to meet the future water demand challenges ahead.”

Driving down leakage is an integral part of the company’s plans to protect future water supply. While Thames Water has reduced leakage to its lowest ever level over the past year – by 7% – it recognises there is more to do and has committed to more than halve leakage by 2050.

In line with national targets, Thames Water is also striving to reduce daily water use to 110 litres per person by 2050, with current water use in the area at around 140 litres per person. To be successful, the company has said it will need support from government through changes to policy and regulation that make homes and water-using appliances more water-efficient, as well as close working with local authorities and customers.

Thames Water is already encouraging customers to use water wisely, with over 1 million smart meters installed across the region giving people access to near real-time water use data. It plans to install or upgrade a further 1.1 million smart meters over the next five years to help the company to meet this ambitious water use reduction target.

Together, these demand reduction measures of customer usage and leakage will make up around 80% of the forecast shortfall.

Investment in vital new infrastructure is also critical to the plan’s success. The Secretary of State concluded that the strategic need for two major projects to help secure the region’s drinking water supplies had been met.

The following nationally significant projects and applications for development consent will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in 2026:

The South East of England continues to face substantial pressure on its water resources and is designated as being seriously water stressed by the Environment Agency. Successful delivery of the WRMP will play a crucial role in addressing the risks associated with a shortfall in water supply.

The plan is available for viewing here.

NEWS CATEGORIES

LATEST NEWS

Updating Bathing Water Regulations could better protect the public, says OEP

The regulations in place to protect people swimming in rivers, lakes and coastal waters in England could better protect the public if they were...

Smart meters help to drive a digital data success story

In this Water Vlog, Ruth Clarke, head of digital at Xylem UK & Ireland, discusses the many ways in which smart water meters and, in...

Wavin wins gold at the ESG & Sustainability Awards 2024 with its ‘See Water Differently’ campaign

Drainage and surface water solutions manufacturer Wavin has won gold at the ESG & Sustainability Awards 2024 with its ‘See Water Differently’ campaign. Run by PRMoment,...

Arqiva announces the appointment of Mark Steele as Chief of Operations

Arqiva, a leading global communications infrastructure and media services company, has announced the appointment of Mark Steele as Chief of Operations.  Mark joined Arqiva in...