Reservoirs. 32 years since the last was built in UK
Discussion
Yip that's right. Last one created in 1989, Roadford Lake, Devon.
I've put 32 years rather than 33, because if my maths is correct, a new one started construction last year in Portsmouth. A big one. Havant Thicket Reservoir.Construction due to complete in 2029, yet will be mid 2030's before it is actually able to supply drinking water.
It'll supply 750,000 homes.
I feel like I'm on to something here with my math... Population increases, immigration influxes. Probably a new reservoir should have been built at least 1x per decade?
What do fellow PH'ers think?
I think that the water companies shouldn't have been allowed to close decrepit reservoirs without having started/completed construction of their replacements.
I don't who owned the water companies back then, so it might simply be that the government decided the maintenance on ageing reservoirs and their supply systems was too costly and just closed them instead, and hoped the incoming private companies would invest in them
I don't who owned the water companies back then, so it might simply be that the government decided the maintenance on ageing reservoirs and their supply systems was too costly and just closed them instead, and hoped the incoming private companies would invest in them
Indeed, it feels like reservoirs should be added as everything that drives demand (as you say) has grown.
IIRC on the politics thread someone said that investment doubled since 'privatisation'. Seems counter-intuitive if no more capacity has been unveiled.
Also, I don't get the impression that wastage has improved, but open to info on that too.
IIRC on the politics thread someone said that investment doubled since 'privatisation'. Seems counter-intuitive if no more capacity has been unveiled.
Also, I don't get the impression that wastage has improved, but open to info on that too.
Probably, it makes common sense, but that’s discriminatory or something these days, the amount of rain we have in the winter could be stored, but, the ball ache of getting planing and likely displacing some homes must be immense. You only have to see the bad feeling still felt by those in wales by (now beautiful tourist spots) the reservoirs built years ago.
Where I used to live, the ceiriog valley, there were plans in the 50/60’s to build one there where there had been a granite quarry in years gone by. But nothing came of it. I wonder if it will ever be considered again as it would mean flooding at least one hamlet.
Where I used to live, the ceiriog valley, there were plans in the 50/60’s to build one there where there had been a granite quarry in years gone by. But nothing came of it. I wonder if it will ever be considered again as it would mean flooding at least one hamlet.
Fusion777 said:
Carsington Water was finished in 1992.
Interesting. My source was wikipedia here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_reservoirs_i...I wonder why Carsington is not on there. 35million liters of water. Still that's only 3 years difference, Seems the newly constructed dam collapsed so they had to start again. Start in 1979, open in 1992. That's a 'dam' shambles.
FYI the new Havant reservoir will hold a paltry 8.7 million liters of water.
chrisgtx said:
Probably, it makes common sense, but that’s discriminatory or something these days, the amount of rain we have in the winter could be stored, but, the ball ache of getting planing and likely displacing some homes must be immense. You only have to see the bad feeling still felt by those in wales by (now beautiful tourist spots) the reservoirs built years ago.
Where I used to live, the ceiriog valley, there were plans in the 50/60’s to build one there where there had been a granite quarry in years gone by. But nothing came of it. I wonder if it will ever be considered again as it would mean flooding at least one hamlet.
Interesting. I'm actually in South Wales. Believe it or not there is a small reservoir for sale not far away. It has planning permission to be used instead for landfill. I'll find the link in my browsing history!Where I used to live, the ceiriog valley, there were plans in the 50/60’s to build one there where there had been a granite quarry in years gone by. But nothing came of it. I wonder if it will ever be considered again as it would mean flooding at least one hamlet.
The area set aside for the Havant Thicket reservoir (it's not really in Portsmouth despite being built as a joint operation by Portsmouth Water and Southern Water) was first granted planning permission back in 1964.
When this idea was revisited back in 2008 it was deemed that the demand for water still wasn't there to justify construction.
It's only the recent announcement by Southern Water to reduce the amount of water it takes from the River Itchen and River Test which has prompted this action.
The actual hole hasn't started to be dug yet, but the surrounding area has had many of the environmental concerns addressed and construction of the approach road has begun.
When this idea was revisited back in 2008 it was deemed that the demand for water still wasn't there to justify construction.
It's only the recent announcement by Southern Water to reduce the amount of water it takes from the River Itchen and River Test which has prompted this action.
The actual hole hasn't started to be dug yet, but the surrounding area has had many of the environmental concerns addressed and construction of the approach road has begun.
Water companies are private. That says enough. Take SE water - my supplier. The two fat cats there (Hinton, CEO and Farmer, CFO) took almost a million between the two of them last year. Will they share our pain? Like f
k they will. And SE Water is 75% foreign owned. In case of a hose pipe ban I shall be using as many bucketfulls as I need to water my garden, fill the kiddiepools and everything else. I refuse to do for the water supplier what they are supposed to do - save water by fixing leaks, and building capacity for hard times.
Given the reality of a privatised water industry, the problem really is Ofwat . They're doing absolutely nothing.
k they will. And SE Water is 75% foreign owned. In case of a hose pipe ban I shall be using as many bucketfulls as I need to water my garden, fill the kiddiepools and everything else. I refuse to do for the water supplier what they are supposed to do - save water by fixing leaks, and building capacity for hard times.Given the reality of a privatised water industry, the problem really is Ofwat . They're doing absolutely nothing.
And that's assuming you will have enough rainfall to fill it.
Lake Mead holds about 36 trillion liters, and it's almost dry because there's no rain or snow melt to fill it.
So many people had their head in the sand and couldn't believe that such a huge reservoir would someday run dry. I'm sure there was the same attitude in the rainy UK before the climate shifted, "We have no need to store water, it will always rain".
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/150111/la...
Lake Mead holds about 36 trillion liters, and it's almost dry because there's no rain or snow melt to fill it.
So many people had their head in the sand and couldn't believe that such a huge reservoir would someday run dry. I'm sure there was the same attitude in the rainy UK before the climate shifted, "We have no need to store water, it will always rain".
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/150111/la...
Spare tyre said:
We need a big organisation at the top of the country that runs things or makes sure things are well run. They could take a bit of money from every resident and in return give us services. Not sure the idea would work
It is a complex problem though - profits from the companies flow into many of our pension funds... 
chrisgtx said:
Probably, it makes common sense, but that’s discriminatory or something these days, the amount of rain we have in the winter could be stored, but, the ball ache of getting planing and likely displacing some homes must be immense. You only have to see the bad feeling still felt by those in wales by (now beautiful tourist spots) the reservoirs built years ago.
Where I used to live, the ceiriog valley, there were plans in the 50/60’s to build one there where there had been a granite quarry in years gone by. But nothing came of it. I wonder if it will ever be considered again as it would mean flooding at least one hamlet.
I can't imagine any new reservoirs being built in Wales now to supply England; just wouldn't be politically acceptable.Where I used to live, the ceiriog valley, there were plans in the 50/60’s to build one there where there had been a granite quarry in years gone by. But nothing came of it. I wonder if it will ever be considered again as it would mean flooding at least one hamlet.
dublove said:
Fusion777 said:
Carsington Water was finished in 1992.
Interesting. My source was wikipedia here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_reservoirs_i...I wonder why Carsington is not on there. 35million liters of water. Still that's only 3 years difference, Seems the newly constructed dam collapsed so they had to start again. Start in 1979, open in 1992. That's a 'dam' shambles.
FYI the new Havant reservoir will hold a paltry 8.7 million liters of water.
vaud said:
Spare tyre said:
We need a big organisation at the top of the country that runs things or makes sure things are well run. They could take a bit of money from every resident and in return give us services. Not sure the idea would work
It is a complex problem though - profits from the companies flow into many of our pension funds... Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff