Kent Reservoir

In previous water resource plans and now our proposed final plan, we have explained that following further water efficiency and local small groundwater improvements, there will remain a shortfall in available water by 2026.

As part of its water resource investigations, South East Water identified the potential for this shortfall to be met by building a new winter storage reservoir at Broad Oak, near Canterbury. We own the area identified as part of the water resource plan.

If a reservoir is built at this location, it would be able to store excess winter rainfall from the lower reaches of either of these river systems that would otherwise go out to sea. Storing the water means it can be used when needed.

A reservoir at this location would also help support our entire Kent supply area, and as far as East Sussex, because we will be able to transfer this water through the new interconnecting pipelines.

What happens now?

If a reservoir is built at this location in Kent, it would be just one of a number of proposals to secure future water supplies. Beyond 2020 there are a number of regional strategic options that require further investigation, such as effluent re-use, desalination, inter-company water transfer pipelines and new winter storage reservoirs in East Sussex and Kent. We will continue to work with our regulators and neighbouring water companies to determine if there are similarly robust solutions, which are just as acceptable in both financial and environmental terms to our customers, which should also be delivered. The next stage of the water planning process will see the Secretary of State direct South East Water on what should be included in its Final Water Resource Management Plan, ahead of its formal publication sometime during 2009.

Any reservoir development can only be assured if the Secretary of State first directs the company to include this in its final Water Resource Management Plan.

And while land acquisition is not an issue at this site, the development of a new reservoir at this location would still be subject to gaining both planning permission and regulatory and environmental consents.

There is also the distinct possibility that this scheme, because of its size, would be determined under the new Planning Act now being considered by Parliament, which sets out a new regime for the authorisation of major infrastructure projects.