Meeting water supply needs - sustainably Miranda Davis 27 th April 2006 East of England Biodiversity Forum & EEDA

Essex & Suffolk Supply Areas

How to Balance Supply and Demand Forecast future demand population change, housing, industry, customer behaviours Assess Reliable Yields Quality and quantity reviews, Environmental studies, licence performance Twin Track Approach Constrain demand Source new supplies

Challenges for Water Resource Planning in Essex One of the driest regions of the UK, prone to drought Increased demand for water due to new developments, increasing population and changing demographics No potential for traditional new resource development within Essex, as no intrinsic water available Major uncertainties posed by climate change, time limited licences, environmental drivers and sustainable abstraction

Abberton Reservoir 32% - November 1997

Demand Management Water Efficiency Specific initiatives for homes Industry leaders on the promotion of water efficiency initiatives Leakage Management Significant reduction over last 8 years; reached the ‘Economic Level’ (ELL) Metering Meter penetration in Essex currently 32%

Water Efficiency History Feb 1996 New Duty to promote 1997 Watersmart, leading to 10,000 audits pa Water Efficient New Homes Project 1999 Water Forum Schools projects, waterbutts, hospitals etc Research project on maximum savings achievable in new homes (technology + behaviour) Continued programme of audits and projects Water in Sustainable Communities conference April 2005

Leakage Management

Langford Recycling Scheme Brookend STW Langford Recycling Scheme Langford WTW Sea River Chelmer Effluent Pipeline Discharge Pipe 3 km Outfall Structure Recycling Inlet Works Hanningfield WTW Hanningfield Reservoir River Chelmer WTW Abstraction River Blackwater Beeleigh Weir Effluent Pipe Outfall

The ‘Abberton Scheme’ 2000 onwards Recognised in 2000 that the three schemes that had been investigated since 1992 were effectively inter-related elements of the same scheme : 1. Variation of the Denver/Blackdyke Licences 2. Upgrade of the Transfer Route (EOETS) 3. Raising of Abberton Reservoir and increased storage

Thank You