Anglian Water and Cambridge Water are calling on people to submit their feedback to help shape plans for a new reservoir in the Cambridgeshire Fens, before a consultation on the project closes on 9 August 2024.    

Projections from the Met Office show that the East of England will become hotter and drier in summer, and wetter in winter, meaning that there is a pressing need to store winter water to cope with summer droughts.

Unless bold action is taken, the demand for water will outstrip the available supply by nearly 600 million litres per day by 2050, making the reservoir project vital for the continued growth and prosperity of the region.

The proposed new reservoir is planned to help secure water supply for the future and strengthen resilience to drought, while also protecting the environment by enabling a reduction in the amount of water taken from environmentally sensitive rivers and underground aquifers.

When there is available water in rivers that would otherwise drain to the sea, the reservoir would store the water for when it’s needed. It could supply enough water for around a quarter of a million homes.

The consultation includes an emerging design for the reservoir – close to Chatteris, Doddington and Wimblington – together with proposals for how to fill the reservoir, treat the water, and transfer it to homes and business. This includes a combination of channels, pipelines and different types of equipment to ensure safe drinking water is on tap when it’s needed. The proposals have incorporated feedback from the project’s first phase of consultation.

People are invited to provide their feedback on the design for the reservoir, including the ideas for recreation and wildlife. Comments are also sought on the infrastructure, channels, and pipeline routes needed to transfer water to and from the reservoir.

Geoff Darch, Head of Supply and Demand at Anglian Water, said: “This project is a significant investment in England’s water infrastructure and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver lasting benefits for people, place and the environment, while crucially keeping taps running.

“Local communities and other stakeholders have an important role to play in helping to inform how the project is developed so it best serves the needs of the local area and wider region, now and long into the future.

“This consultation is the opportunity for people to provide feedback on the features they would like to see included in the reservoir and what impacts our proposals could have so we can assess ways to manage them. 

“We’d like to thank members of local communities who have already attended events and provided their feedback in recent weeks – this engagement is incredibly valuable to the further development of our proposals. We’d encourage everyone who’d like to have their say to give their feedback by 9 August.”

Cambridge Water’s Asset Management and Investment Delivery Director, Tom Fewster, said: "The Fens Reservoir project brings so many benefits for the local community, the wider region and beyond. Its unique and ambitious design will inspire visitors, and the reservoir itself will be pivotal in the environmental and economic success of the region for generations to come. At this stage, we would like to encourage customers and interested parties to attend the consultation events to see this exciting project for themselves and get involved from the start."

Details of how to provide feedback, and further information of the project are on Anglian Water’s website at www.fensreservoir.co.uk. Some information about frequently asked questions is also available on the website, at www.fensreservoir.co.uk/faqs.

This consultation is the second phase in a multi-phase consultation approach, with at least one more to follow.

Ensuring a resilient water supply for the future forms a key component of Anglian Water’s largest-ever, £9 billion business plan for 2025-30, currently with Ofwat for approval. Over the next five years, the company will continue work on its network of strategic water pipelines, which will transport water from wetter to drier areas of its region. The company’s plans for this period also propose £184 million of investment to renew 688km of climate vulnerable water mains.