Oxfordshire campaign group opposes Thames Water's reservoir plans
A local campaign group questions how essential Thames Water’s plans to build a reservoir in Oxfordshire as the government this week approved plans.
Last updated 6th Sep 2024
An Oxfordshire campaign group says Thames Water's plans to build a reservoir near Abingdon is not essential.
It comes after the government have approved plans by Thames Water to build a reservoir near Abingdon, as part of the water companies plans to protect future water resources.
Thames Water forecasts that it will need an additional 1 billion litres of water every day for its customers by 2050, enough to fill approximately 400 Olympic sized swimming pools.
Derek Stork is Chair of Group Against Reservoir Development (GARD), and he tells us why they are opposed to the prospect of a reservoir being built in the County.
He said: “We believe it’s the wrong thing for climate change, it’s not necessary and we don’t see why Oxfordshire should suffer this appalling kind of damage.”
Mr Stork says that it will cause ‘huge disruption’ for local residents, he said: “If you imagine Heathrow terminal 5, that size of building site. That’s what it’s like for 10 years.
“So, you’ve got all the noise, the fumes and the destruction of plant life. The traffic will have to be diverted, and the local traffic will have to be rerouted around this reservoir.
“It’s quite astonishing that this plan has been given the go-ahead, given that the local organisations have written opposing it and calling for a public inquiry.”
GARD feel that ‘reservoirs are not the solution’ as it will be ‘harmful to the environment’.
They're calling for more water to be sourced from wetter areas of the UK, such as North Wales and near the River Severn.
In a statement released with the reservoir plans, Chris Weston, CEO of Thames Water, said: “I welcome the Secretary of State’s approval of our plan, which is a vital step as we work to secure future water supply for millions of people across the South East.
“In delivering this plan we will invest in new world-class infrastructure projects, continue to drive down leakage and reduce demand for water. In turn this will significantly reduce our reliance on groundwater sources that draw from chalk streams, protecting the local environment.”
Thames Water has just under 60 days to make final updates to its plan before publishing it in October 2024, when they will publish their final Water Resource Management Plan.