Water resources

Essex & Suffolk Water (ESW), supplies water to 1.7 million people living in Essex, east London, north Suffolk and south Norfolk.

The company operates within one of the driest regions in the UK with less water available for use than in many parts of Spain, Portugal and Italy. A key challenge for ESW over the next twenty five years will be to ensure that it is able to continue to supply its customers with the water they need without damaging the natural environment.

Water companies are required to prepare a ‘Water Resources Management Plan’ every five years, in accordance with guidance laid down by the Environment Agency.   The plan shows how a water company intends to maintain the balance between supply and demand for water over the next twenty five years.

The ‘Water Resources Management Plan’ is complimented by the ‘Drought Plan’, which water companies are required to produce every three years. This plan sets out the short term operational steps a company will take as a drought progresses.

The ‘Water Resources Management Plan’ and ‘Drought Plan’ are available to download using the links to the left.