Thames Water's £6.6bn Mega Reservoir Wins 89% Public Cheers!

Thames Water is planning to build a massive new reservoir in Oxfordshire, and according to a recent survey, almost 90 percent of people in the South East support the idea. The proposed White Horse Reservoir, which would cost £6. 6 billion, is seen as a crucial step to protect future water supplies. Thames Water surveyed 2,004 adults and found that 89 percent believe the reservoir is important for making sure there is enough water in the future. This comes after several droughts and heatwaves, with more than two-thirds of England now experiencing drought conditions.

The company says that two out of three people are worried about having a steady supply of water, and less than a third believe there will always be plenty of water in the region. Thames Water warns that if nothing is done, there could be a shortage of a billion litres of water every day by 2050. The new reservoir would help provide water for 15 million people in the South East, including customers of Thames Water, Affinity Water, and Southern Water. If the government approves the plan, the reservoir could be ready for use by 2040. Thames Water says the support shown in the survey is very encouraging, especially after this summer's hot and dry weather. They believe storing more water is vital for the future, and the White Horse Reservoir will play a key role in making sure there is enough water for everyone. Building the reservoir would also create more than 1,000 new jobs during construction.

However, not everyone agrees with the plan. Derek Stork, chairman of the Group Against Reservoir Development (GARD), says their petition against the reservoir has 8,000 signatures, which he believes better represents people's views than the survey. Local councils, including the Vale of White Horse District Council, Abingdon Town Council, and Oxfordshire County Council, have also raised objections. Stork argues that fixing leaks in the water system should be the first priority, as a lot of water is lost this way. He also suggests transferring water from wetter parts of the country, as other countries with drought problems have done, and encourages people to use less water. Stork says he would not object to a smaller reservoir like Farmoor, which is used to temporarily hold water. Despite the opposition, Thames Water is moving forward with its plans and expects to submit its application in November.