EAST AGAINST THE ELEMENTS: Anglian Water says "all options on the table" when tackling water worries
Major infrastructure projects are being put together to tackle the issue - including two reservoirs which will serve the area
Last updated 29th Sep 2023
Anglian Water is telling us that "all options are on the table" when it comes to tackling water scarcity and shortages in Suffolk and the East.
It comes as our East Against the Elements investigation hears that major infrastructure projects are being put together to tackle the issue - including two reservoirs, based in Cambridgeshire and South Lincolnshire.
It's hoped these projects, that will serve our area, will be up and running in the next 15-20 years.
Why is water security such a concern?
The East has long been known as one of the driest regions in the UK, in terms of rainfall, with many areas typically receiving less than 600mm in a given year.
Last year's summer was Norfolk's third driest on record and the effects of it are still being felt in North West Norfolk, North Norfolk Rivers and Broadland Rivers.
This comes even after a colder and unsettled spring and summer, which saw Norfolk get above average rainfall in May and swelter in 30C degrees plus, in September.
"We have got boots on the ground right now, working on that"
Regan Harris is from Anglian Water:
"We're putting together a new strategic pipeline that will bring water from parts of our region where it's more plentiful, such as North Lincolnshire, where we get more rainfall. We have got boots on the ground right now, working on that".
"We do have options for desalination plants, in the longer term. It's not our preferred option for water supply as it's very energy intensive and not great for the environment.
"We think projects like reservoirs are the better options, longer-term."
"We're supporting the development of new reservoirs and transfer schemes"
Rob Bakewell is from the Environment Agency:
"We are working with Water Resources East and we're supporting the development of new reservoirs and transfer schemes into the area.
"We are also encouraging everyone to play their part so they can do everything they can to make sure that water is used beneficently and wisely."
What's being done to tackle this?
Mark Spencer is Food Minister:
"We've investing a huge amount of money into infrastructure, to that farmers can build on-farm reservoirs. So that they can store water in the winter when it's plentiful and deploy it in the summer when they are short."
Initiatives through the Government’s Plan for Water include:
A second round of the £10 million Water Management Grant to fund more on-farm reservoirs and better irrigation equipment.
A twin-track approach to improving water resilience, involving action to reduce water company leaks alongside investing in new supply infrastructure, including transfers.
Abstraction license decisions will become more flexible to support the changing needs of farmers, the economy and the environment in the context of climate change.
Improvements in water resources planning for agriculture to help farmers consider future needs and ensure better resilience to drought.
Modernising the abstraction system using technology to make processes more efficient, for example sending e-alerts to provide speedier notifications directly to farmers when water is available for abstraction.
On 8 June, the Government also announced over £30 million under the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, which is helping pay for equipment such as rainwater harvesting butts to help tackle water scarcity.
Our investigation:
You can read more on our #EastAgainstTheElements investigation, below:
-Who's being affected by this and how?