Three major consultations open on water supply infrastructure

(by Karma Loveday)

• Thames Water has opened a statutory consultation on the 150bn litre SESRO reservoir in Oxfordshire. Public input gathered during this consultation, which runs until 13 January, will directly inform the application for planning consent that Thames Water will submit to the Government in Autumn 2026. The consultation includes updates on scheme design and amenity.

  
  

• Anglian Water and Cambridge Water have launched their first public consultation, open until 21 December, on a new 28km Grafham-to-Cambridge interconnector pipeline – a response to planned rapid growth in Cambridge. The interconnector will form part of a strategic 70km pipeline that will transfer water from Anglian Water’s network in Grafham to Cambridge Water. Future phases include a branch of pipeline to feed the City of Cambridge, as well as an extension into Suffolk.

  
  

• Welsh Water is consulting on the largest infrastructure project in its history – the Cwm Taf Water Supply Strategy. This will modernise the drinking water network across South Wales, including: construction of a new water treatment works at Dan-y-Castell Farm in Merthyr Tydfil; a new pumping station at Pontsticill; and an upgrade of the existing Llwyn-onn Water Treatment Works, which will allow the decommissioning of Cantref Water Treatment Works. Two statutory consultations have been launched ahead of the planning applications being submitted.