Reservoirs ‘desperately needed’ as past ‘neglect’ hits bills

The government has announced £7.9 billion of investment to build nine new reservoirs across the UK. This comes as Water UK announced household water bills in England and Wales are to rise by an average of £123 from April 1.  

Professor Hannah Cloke, Professor of Hydrology at the University of Reading, comments on the need for investment in the UK’s water infrastructure.

Professor Hannah Cloke said: “The sharp scale of rises in water bills will be felt by many people. The big increases reflect the chronic neglect of our water infrastructure for decades, which has allowed problems of sewage overspills, pollution, and over-extraction from rivers to build up and up.

“The £7.9 billion reservoir investment promised yesterday by the Chancellor is desperately needed. Parts of Britain, including Cambridge, just don't have the water that's needed. The reservoirs will be paid for by the public, even though it is the private water companies that build and operate them to make profits for shareholders. It would take a reversal of decades of private operation to bring water and sewage utilities back under public ownership.

“Water security is a key part of our national resilience to long-term challenges, including climate change, which can only be fixed with joined-up policymaking and consistent, sustained investment over decades. The equation is more complex than more water equals faster economic growth. 

“Our national security - including our water, food and physical safety - needs a combination of support for the economy and the environment. This will need careful management and regulation, if the aim is really about making improvements for the long term.

“Increasing our stores of water with nine hugely expensive new reservoirs will help improve supplies. But if water is wasted through leaks and profligate use, we could quickly find ourselves in the same water-stressed position within a few years.”