WRSE reports mixed progress in year one of its Regional Plan

(by Karma Loveday)

Water Resources South East (WRSE) has published a summary of the progress made in 2025/26 in delivering its regional plan (RP24) for 2025-2075. The table summarises the key developments.

Good progress was made in some areas, notably on strategic schemes to increase supply, and on the smart meter rollout. Per capita consumption is lower than forecast in RP24.

Other developments helping the supply-demand balance included that population and property growth was lower than forecast, and that abstraction reduction requirements are yet to bite.

However, non-household demand grew, in part due to the connection of 12,000 new customers in the year. Leakage also increased.

As such, distribution input fell but was higher than forecast in RP24, with headroom also lower than forecast. WRSE said: “This is putting greater pressure on our existing water resources in the short term, with the prolonged peak demands seen during the summer heatwaves exacerbating the challenge.”

It continued: “Over the longer term, the combination of climate change, further abstraction reduction, industrial growth and higher housing growth numbers will further increase the shortfall in water supplies. This will be reflected in our updated draft regional plan due to be published in early 2028, which will identify the additional solutions needed to secure supplies across the region.”