Water Abstraction: Hampshire
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure water supplies for (a) residents and (b) local businesses in North East Hampshire constituency following the end of abstraction from Greywell Fen.
Answered by Emma Hardy
A water supply deficit exists in part of South East Water’s Water Resource Zone 4, which includes a large portion of the North East Hampshire Constituency. This means there is a higher risk of supply interruptions for customers in drought conditions.
Use of the Greywell abstraction does not fully address this deficit, but for the duration of the Greywell licence decision appeal process South East Water are permitted to continue abstracting under the terms of their previous licence, until a decision has been made by a Planning Inspector. The Environment Agency is working closely with South East Water, Natural England, and Local Planning Authorities, to appraise options to ensure water supply security.
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