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South East Water applies to increase abstraction

South East Water has applied to increase abstraction at one of its groundwater sources in Kent by 25 per cent.

The application made to the Environment Agency (EA) will increase the annual quantity of water abstracted from its boreholes at Saints Hill in Tonbridge from 2,013,000 cubic metres to 2,555,000 cubic metres per year.

The South East of England is an area identified as ‘water stressed’ by the EA and SE Water says it therefore needs to look at how it can meet demand in the future.

Helen Chapman, South East Water’s supply demand manager said the application, first proposed in its Water Resources Management Plan in 2009, is supported by both the EA and Ofwat.

“This scheme allows us to improve the amount of water we can use from our assets at an existing site,” she said

SE Water said the increase should help meet demand in the surrounding Tunbridge Wells area.

In a bid to meet future demand, SE Water has also begun a compulsory water metering programme and expects 90 per cent of customers to have a water meter fitted by 2020. It is also aiming to reduce leakage.

Anyone wishing to comment on the application has until June 13 to do so.

A copy of the application; map, plan and any other document submitted with the application are available from the EA.