Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of (a) the requirement for and (b) the suitability of sites available for provision of new water reservoir capacity in Thames Valley; and if he will make a statement.

The Environment Agency’s National Framework for water resources, published in 2020, identified that between 2025 and 2050 around 3,435 million additional litres of water per day will be needed for public water supply. Of this total, around half is required for the South East of England.

Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure supply of water for customers, efficiently and economically. Statutory water resources management plans show how companies will continue to meet this duty and manage water supply and demand for at least the next 25 years. In their plans, water companies must consider all options, including demand management and water resources infrastructure.

Collaborative regional water resources groups and water companies are preparing their water resources plans for consultations during 2022. Thames Water and Affinity Water will formally consult publicly on their draft water resources management plans at the end of 2022. At the planning consent stage, further consultation of any proposed water resources infrastructure will be required.