Thames Water Abingdon Reservoir

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The Thames Water Abingdon Reservoir is a long-term proposal for fresh water storage south west of Abingdon, Oxfordshire in the mid-west of the Thames Basin.

Proposals[]

The proposal arose in 2006 by Thames Water.[1] In 2007 the Environment Agency opined that need for this was not proven.[2] Further arguments were put but the near-term-demand case was rejected in 2011.[3]

Since 2018 a longer-term proposal stands, for its building, by 2043 to cater to projected population growth in the Thames Basin.[4][5]

Reasons for the construction[]

See also: Climate of the United Kingdom and Population of the United Kingdom

The main reason to build is that the South-East is facing seasonal water stress. Factors are the Rain shadow behind the prevailing westerly winds and western hills. Eastern counties lack rainfall of the west; their average annual rainfall being 500-750mm. The west receives around 1800-2800mm.

Average population density is higher in the eastern than western counties; London houses 13.5% of the UK's population. This is the greatest concentration of domestic water usage. Roughly 22% of water use is domestic; 75% is from all types of industry.[citation needed]

Counter-arguments[]

GARD or the 'Group Against Reservoir Development' have counter-arguments, local, national and looking at international comparators.[6]

  • Thames Water have unambitious targets for leakages[6]
  • The reservoir will be far from potent against long droughts[7]
  • As there is enough water to supply London now there can be in future if we use other, sustainable methods. [6]
  • Impacts on the ecosystem being transformed from supporting many endangered and protected land-based invertebrates, water voles, bats and hedgehogs to more water-based bird life.[6]
  • Traffic congestion and construction pollution.[6]
  • Local economic loss of many well-rooted businesses and a solar farm.[8][6]
  • A new, low, risk of flooding.[6]

References[]

  1. ^ Reservoir 'biggest in 25 years' - BBC News, 14 September 2006
  2. ^ "Need for reservoir 'not proven'". BBC News. 5 January 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  3. ^ "Abingdon £1bn reservoir plan rejected by government". BBC News. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Abingdon reservoir proposals questioned by Oxfordshire County Council". BBC News. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Abingdon Reservoir back on the cards!". CPRE. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g http://www.abingdonreservoir.org.uk/ Group Against Reservoir Development. www.abingdonreservoir.org.uk
  7. ^ [1] Resilience - Final Report. Group Against Reservoir Development. www.abingdonreservoir.org.uk
  8. ^ East Hanney solar farm

See also[]

Coordinates: 51°38′04″N 1°21′15″W / 51.63444°N 1.35417°W / 51.63444; -1.35417

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