Clay Hill
Our last water resource plan, published in 2005, showed there would be a shortfall in available water by 2017, particularly in our Sussex/Kent supply area.
That’s why, since 2006, South East Water has been carrying out feasibility studies into building a new reservoir on a site at Clay Hill, near Ringmer, in East Sussex.
Our extensive studies have looked at planning, geological, social and environmental issues to determine if the site is suitable for a reservoir.
These will make sure we understand and, where appropriate, protect the environment before developing a new reservoir. The surveys may also identify further social and environmental benefits a new reservoir scheme could deliver.
The studies, and our work on developing our latest plan, has concluded a new reservoir at this location is the best way of making more water available.
Clay Hill Reservoir would be able to supply, on average, an extra18 million litres of water each day. This would be achieved by abstracting, and then storing, excess winter rainfall from the lower reaches of the River Ouse that would otherwise go out to sea. Storing the water means it can be used when needed.
The development of Clay Hill reservoir is a strategic investment by South East Water and will cost around £90 million.
A reservoir at this location would also help support our Eastbourne, West Sussex, and West Kent supply areas because we will be able to transfer this water through existing interconnecting pipelines.
What happens now?
The Clay Hill reservoir is just one of a number of proposals in our draft plan. The plan has to go through an extensive consultation process during 2008/2009 before the final plan, and all the options in it, is determined.
The development of a new reservoir at Clay Hill would, of course, be subject to gaining both planning permission and regulatory and environmental consents, as well as acquiring the necessary land.
A public inquiry is also possible if the application is called in by the Secretary of State, but whichever consent process is determined as necessary, it will allow for extensive scrutiny and discussion of the proposals.
However, we realise that developing a reservoir will be of particular significance to the local community in which it could be built.
Following on from this consultation process, we are intending to carry out extensive stakeholder and community consultation on the specific Clay Hill reservoir option. This will include:
- Establishing a Clay Hill Consultation Group to seek community input on the reservoir’s development and later, secondary use for conservation/recreation/community
- Developing a specific Clay Hill reservoir section on the South East Water website to provide information and online feedback
- Holding public exhibitions at every stage of the reservoir development process. We anticipate there will be three exhibitions during 2008 and 2009 as the detailed design and, the guiding principles on what the local community, landowners and planners would like to see as secondary uses for the reservoir, are developed.