Fens Reservoir clears planning hurdle

Plans for a new reservoir in the east of England are one step closer to reality after clearing a key planning hurdle.

The Fens Reservoir project has been approved to progress through to the next planning stage by the Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID).

Put forwards by Anglian Water and Cambridge Water, the reservoir will supply 87 megalitres of water daily to customers of both companies from 2035 to meet the region’s forecast deficit.

The east of England could require an additional 800 megalitres daily by the middle of the century, if no action is taken.

RAPID said it was reviewing funding allowances for the next stage in the programme of work to move away from the current 50:50 cost allocation between Cambridge and Anglian.

The organisation said the distribution of benefits from the new reservoir should be properly reflected in the funding. Anglian customers were likely to see wider benefits from the scheme, which RAPID said should be recognised in the funding distribution.

Costs and allocations will be laid out ahead of Ofwat’s draft determinations of each company’s business plans (PR24) and implemented through the PR24 reconciliation.

From the site close to Peterborough, the Fens Reservoir will supply water south to Cambridge and northeast into Norfolk.

Prior to the scheme coming online, interim supply options will be in place including a time-limited transfer to Cambridge Water.

This is one of two reservoir sites proposed in the water resource management plan (WRMP) for the east of England, created jointly by Water Resources East (WRE).

The east of England has the lowest rainfall in the UK and is a flat region with a lot of land dedicated to agriculture. To protect waterways, including chalk streams, a programme is underway to progressively reduce abstraction from rivers and streams by 2050. This means alternative sources must be available.

WRE’s work found new requests for water from non-household customers last year outstripped the capacity of the proposed new reservoir. Anglian experienced significantly higher demand from non-household customers than predicted in its 2019 WRMP. In 2022/23 this included requests for an additional 90 Ml/d for NHH water use. Many of these requests had to be declined.

Requirements for the third gate in the RAPID process must be delivered by September this year.

These include environmental assessment of compliance with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive and the Habitats Directive.

RAPID asked the water companies involved to set out benefits or disadvantages and the viability of building and operating a largescale desalination plant in the region by the early 2030s.

Desalination had featured in WRE’s plans, however the organisation showed a preference for greater demand reduction as a first choice and desalination if sufficient reductions are not achieved.

Transfer schemes are also included in the WRE regional plan alongside water efficiency and demand reduction for domestic and non-household users.