Environment Food and Rural Affairs written question – answered at on 1 March 2006.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to tackle water shortages in the South East (a) during 2006 and (b) over the next 10 years.
Any projected shortage in water supply this year will be addressed though the relevant water company's drought plan. Drought plans contain mechanisms which trigger a range of actions to be initiated at different times as a drought develops. One of the actions may involve applying to my Department for drought orders in order to restrict non-essential uses of water.
For longer term planning water companies maintain 25 year water resource plans which seek to reconcile supply with anticipated demand. These water resource plans are produced voluntarily every five years at present but will become a statutory requirement under the provisions of the Water Act 2003. My Department is currently consulting on the exercise of the new powers in respect of statutory water resource plans.
Yes1 person thinks so
No1 person thinks not
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