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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a cost benefit analysis has been carried out on the South East Strategic Reservoir Option.

Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure supply of water for customers, efficiently and economically and set out how they plan to continue to meet this duty to their customers through Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs).

WRMPs are statutory and set out how each company will manage water supply and demand, including reducing leaks, sustainably for at least the next 25 years. Within their plans, water companies must consider all options, including demand management and new water resources including reservoirs and transfers to ensure they meet their duties to customers. Water companies must consult on their WRMPs and these are scrutinised by regulators, including the Environment Agency and Ofwat.

Water Resources South East, the regional water resources group of South East water companies, and Thames Water have published their water resources plans, including the analysis and cost information. The plans are available online:

www.wrse.org.uk/library/?documentTags=Regional+Plan and www.thameswater.co.uk/about-us/regulation/water-resources.