The government has approved the construction of two major reservoirs in England, the first such projects in more than three decades. Environment minister Steve Reed granted 'nationally significant' status to reservoirs in East Anglia and Lincolnshire, ordering them to proceed. These will be the first major reservoirs built since 1992.
The decision comes amid concerns over water shortages driven by rising population, drier summers due to climate change, and depleted reservoirs. The government recently warned of an impending drought without significant rainfall. The new reservoirs are expected to secure water supplies for over 750,000 homes in England's most water-stressed areas.
Water minister Emma Hardy stated: 'Today we are backing the builders not the blockers, intervening in the national interest and slashing red tape to make the planning process faster to unblock nine new reservoirs.' The projects will help unlock thousands of homes currently stalled due to insufficient water supply.
Anglian Water will build the Lincolnshire reservoir south of Sleaford, operational by 2040, providing up to 166 million litres daily for 500,000 homes. In partnership with Cambridge Water, the Fens reservoir between Chatteris and March will supply 87 million litres to 250,000 homes by 2036. Both projects now enter consultation phases.
Ofwat chief executive David Black welcomed the focus on accelerating water infrastructure, noting £2 billion in development funding. Seven more reservoirs are planned by 2050 in Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Kent, East Sussex, the West Midlands, and two in Somerset, with work already underway in Hampshire.
