Government approves Thames Water resource plan

South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) is one of the major projects in the water firm's plan

Thames Water says its case for a new reservoir in Oxfordshire has been improved by the government's approval for its Water Resource Management Plan (WRMP).

The plan, which includes the new 4.5 sq mile (7 sq km) reservoir near Abingdon, has been approved by Environment Secretary Steve Reed.

The decision follows a public consultation over a two-year period.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England's (CPRE) and Group Against Reservoir Development (GARD) have been contacted for comment.

Thames Water CEO Chris Weston said the approval was "a vital step" towards securing "future water supply for millions of people across the South East"

WRMP sets out actions and investment required to deliver "a secure and sustainable water supply for the next 50 years and beyond".

It outlines how the water firm would achieve that, taking factors such as growing population, environment protection and changing climate into account.

According to its forecasts it needs "an additional 1 billion litres of water every day for its customers by 2050", which equates to filling about 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Last week Thames Water warned it will not survive unless it is allowed to increase water bills by almost 60% over a five-year period.

Thames Water CEO Chris Weston said the approval was "a vital step as we work to secure future water supply for millions of people across the South East".

“In delivering this plan we will invest in new world-class infrastructure projects, continue to drive down leakage and reduce demand for water," he said.

"In turn this will significantly reduce our reliance on groundwater sources that draw from chalk streams, protecting the local environment.”

One of the major projects in the plan is a reservoir in Oxfordshire, known as the South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO), and costing around £2.2bn.

The reservoir would supply Thames Water, Southern Water and Affinity Water customers.

The project has been criticised by councillors, campaigners and canal users.

A 12-week public consultation on its designs closed on 28 August, and the responses will be independently verified by research company Ipsos.

Thames Water said that more than 1,500 responses had been received and more than 1,200 people attended its community information events.

It said it would provide a formal response to the public consultation "early next year", and residents would be invited to have their say on the revised proposals next summer.

The company has 60 days to make final updates before publishing the plan in October.