Water resources management plan
We produce a water resources management plan to demonstrate how we intend to provide sufficient water and environmental protection over the next 25 years.
The final version of the plan and supporting documents are available to download opposite. If you have any queries or would like any further information please contact us at water.resources@wessexwater.co.uk.
Our approach
We have undertaken a detailed review of our demand projections to take account of population growth, housing developments, changing patterns of household water use and changing demands from our commercial customers.
At the same time we reviewed potential changes to the yields available from our water sources, including assessing the potential impacts of climate change and river flow and reservoir modelling.
By comparing our updated demand and supply forecasts we have identified that in our south and west zones we have enough available water to meet demands over the coming years.
In our north and east zones, however, some deficits are likely to occur resulting from expected reductions in how much we can take from rivers and underground sources (abstraction) arising from the low flows project and population growth.
We appraised a range of options that could potentially overcome the imbalance between supply and demand. This includes leakage reduction, water efficiency, new resource development and infrastructure improvements.
We have also carried out a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) which has helped us to consider the potential social and environmental impacts of our proposals.
In summary
Our plan for 2010-2015 involves:
- reducing our abstractions to improve river flow
- developing our water supply grid
- encouraging and enabling our customers to use water wisely
- protecting our groundwater resources from pollution such as nitrates
- start metering properties upon change of ownership from 2015.