Small desalination plant 'to be delivered in 2024'

The first smaller desalination plant could produce up to five million litres of drinking water a day, South West Water says

South West Water plans to deliver a smaller than planned desalination plant in Cornwall later in 2024.

In 2023, plans were announced to build a large plant at Par.

Now, it plans to create a smaller desalination plant in Par, using existing infrastructure, to "avoid any impact to the marine environment".

The company said this plan would give it more time to develop its application for a larger desalination plant. The plans are part of a £125m project to increase water resources in the region.

'Resilient water supplies'

The company said: "Focussing on the pressing need to secure resilient water supplies, South West Water will deliver a smaller plant later this year...

"This plant will be capable of producing between 2.5 and 5 million litres of clean drinking water each day when needed, and will allow more time to develop the application for a larger desalination plant."

It added the larger desalination plant would "replace the smaller one and reuse as much of the existing infrastructure as possible to produce up to 20 million litres of drinking water daily, as previously announced by the company".

David Harris, drought and resilience director of South West Water, said: "Desalination is one important step in a wider programme of work we are delivering to ensure resilient supplies across our region in the face of a changing climate."

Having received criticism from residents and conservation groups, Mr Harris said: "We share the passion that many locals have shown to protect the sensitive marine environment in St Austell Bay.

"Taking more time to fully understand this environment will allow us to enhance our proposals and be sure that we are doing everything we can to minimise any impact we have to marine habitats. We have been developing our plans to be consistent with other proposals for development for the area.”

South West Water said it was "working in consultation with stakeholders and regulators to complete further environmental surveys to support its planning application for the second phase".

It said further public meetings with residents would be held later in 2024.