Dave Ferguson - 5-Jan-2007 - Thames Water has yet to answer crucial questions in the case for a new reservoir to the south west of Abingdon, the Environment Agency has said.

Stage One of its consultation, which began in September 2006, set out how much water it predicts it needs for the future, what options it has looked at to meet this need and the possible location for a reservoir.

The Environment Agency believes that the country’s biggest water company has yet to respond fully to issues central to the proposal.

These include:

How much water it needs to supply customers in the future?
Which measures would best meet or manage future demand for water?
If a reservoir is needed where might it be located?
Thames Water's proposals include building a major new reservoir near Abingdon, tackling leakage, and encouraging customers to use water more efficiently, including the use of metering.

Craig Woolhouse, an area manager at the Environment Agency, said: “We have made progress with Thames Water and will continue to work with them to resolve the issues raised in our response to Stage One.

“We agree that Thames Water cannot meet the forecast growth in demand for water solely through demand management, such as metering and leakage reduction alone. A new source of water, such as a reservoir will be needed.”

But Mr Woolhouse warned that the company still has plenty to do to ensure that water needs are being properly met in a number of different ways.

“We still believe the company can take its leakage reduction and demand management much further to reduce impacts on the environment from use of water,” he said.

“These are important options in water resource management and we believe it is vital that these avenues are explored fully before a new source of water, and the capacity of new sources of water, can be properly considered.”

The Stage Two consultation, which begins 6 January 2007, lasting for eight weeks, is about conservation, landscape, the impact of construction and after use of its proposed reservoir.

Mr Woolhouse added: “In spite of the outstanding concerns raised at Stage One, we will respond to the company’s Stage Two consultation. We will do this because we believe it is prudent we engage in discussions about Thames Water’s preferred site of the proposed reservoir to ensure we get the best both for people and the environment.”