Lords Committee on fact-finding visit to Hanningfield

14/02/2006

Members of a House of Lords committee have visited Hanningfield Reservoir to discuss water resource issues with staff from Essex & Suffolk Water.

The committee, which is looking at water management, included the Earl of Selborne, Baroness Platt of Writtle, Lord Taverne, Baroness Perry of Southwark, Lord Lewis of Newnham, Lord Whitty and Baroness Sharp of Guildford.

They met with Clare Ridgewell, demand planning manager and Martin Lunn, scientific and water resources manager, from Essex & Suffolk Water.

During the visit they discussed water resources planning, water efficiency, water metering and the current water resources position. They also talked through the Abberton Reservoir Scheme, which will enlarge the capacity of the reservoir by 60%, and the Langford Recycling Scheme, near Maldon, which recycles wastewater to increase water availability during peak periods.

East Anglia is one of the driest regions in the country and Essex & Suffolk Water is constantly working to ensure that there are plentiful supplies for the future. The current levels for the two reservoirs that supply more than one million customers in Essex are average for this time of year - Hanningfield Reservoir is 83% full and Abberton is 71% full. Restrictions on water use are not currently planned for this summer and a wet spring would help to recharge resources.

Clare Ridgewell said: “We were delighted to welcome the group to Hanningfield. They were very interested in what we had to say about water resources.”

For further information please call Claire Bishop on 01245 212 010.