South West should have the water it needs for decades to come, says new report

The South West should have the water it needs for decades to come without the need to build expensive new reservoirs or desalination plants. That's the conclusion of a new report by South West Water setting out its proposed water resource management plan from 2015 - 40.

The plan has been opened to the public for comments before being sent to Defra for agreement later this year.

Despite expected increases in population and taking into account the predicted effects of climate change, South West Water anticipates that the region will continue to have a net surplus of water until at least 2040.

Operations Director Stephen Bird said: "The last 20 years have seen significant investment in our water resources and we are now in a very strong position to be able to avoid water restrictions for our customers apart from in the most extreme drought conditions.

"Building on the very strong legacy of the late 1970s and 1980s, when our three big strategic reservoirs were completed, we have developed two new reservoirs on Bodmin Moor to bolster supplies to Cornwall, constructed major pumped reservoir refill schemes at Wimbleball and Colliford, reduced leakage by 40%, and laid major pipelines to enable us to move water to wherever it is needed most.

"We are committed to protecting the environment and we only abstract what we need to maintain a secure public supply.

"We also would like to thank the tens of thousands of customers who have opted for a water meter and saved water. Water usage in our region is dropping per person and is lower than in many other regions."

The company has already confirmed that 2013 will be its 17th consecutive year without hosepipe bans or water restrictions anywhere in its region.

The plan is available in full or as a summary document on South West Water's website at www.southwestwater.co.uk/waterresourcesplan or it can be viewed at the company's offices in Exeter. The consultation runs until 23 August.