Ofwat adds condition for Cheddar 2 reservoir and clears Poole Effluent Recycling project

Ofwat has provisionally decided that two strategic water resource schemes in the West Country should progress, but has introduced a new conditional checkpoint for one of them – the Cheddar 2 reservoir.

In draft decisions open for comment until 21 June, Ofwat gave the green light for the Poole Effluent Recycling and Transfer project to progress to standard Gate 3 of the RAPID process in January 2025. The scheme, being developed by Wessex Water and South West Water, would supply an annual average deployable output of 12.5 megalitres per day (Ml/d), with a peak summer demand deployable output of 25Mld.

Regarding Cheddar 2, Ofwat said funding would be allowed to take the reservoir to a new conditional review point scheduled for January 2024, after which the scheme would go to Gate 3 only if the regulators are satisfied it should continue to be progressed.

This project would provide an annual average output of 14 Ml/d and a summer period critical period output of 36Ml/d in a 1 in 500 year drought, and is being developed by Wessex and Bristol.