PUBLIC INQUIRY

The Outcome March 2011

The 326-page report and recommendations made by the Inspector, Mrs Wendy Burden, to the Secretary of State for DEFRA,concluded that Thames Water’s draft Water Resources Plan did not meet the statutory requirements under the Water Industry Act, and that the measures Thames Water wished to adopt were not justified by the evidence. For a fuller description, turn to the section Latest News to see GARD’s statement.

Summer 2010

The five and a half week long Public Inquiry ended on 18th August with each main party making their final submissions to the Inspector. Remarkably Thames Water admitted in their final submission to the Inquiry that their forecast water supply shortfall for 2035 was estimated to be only 60 million litres/day. This figure had fallen from approx 300, to 200 million litres/day at the start of the Inquiry, and by its end, to 60 million litres/day (under 3% of their estimated daily water consumption in their region).

Equally surprising, Thames Water’s draft 2009 Plan assumed a projected leakage rate in London at a constant level of 675 million litres/day. It defies common sense to accept that, with all their experience and resources, Thames Water cannot improve this leakage rate by at least 60 million litres/day over the next 25 years. Such an improved leakage performance would on its own have nullified the need for their proposed Abingdon reservoir.

It had been clear to GARD for some time that for financial reasons Thames Water had been determined to get the government’s agreement for an Abingdon reservoir to be included in the current 5 year Plan. Yet they had also said that, as there would be no need for this reservoir before 2025, they would not incur any capital costs associated with it for the next 5 years.

Resulting from the Inquiry, Thames Water are now obliged to examine thoroughly and objectively the viable, cheaper, more sustainable options proposed by GARD.