Britain’s historic former industrial canal network is set to play a pivotal role in creating a sustainable and resilient water supply for 750,000 people by transferring water from the Midlands to the Southeast of England.

Photo l to r: Bob Stear, Chief Engineer Severn Trent,  Keith Haslett, CEO Affinity Water

& Darren Leftley, Head of Commercial Water Development Canal & River Trust

Plans currently being consulted upon could see the historic Coventry, Oxford and Grand Union canals transform water supply by transferring millions of litres of water each day from Severn Trent’s water supply in the Midlands to Affinity Water’s customers in the Southeast.

The project is a collaboration between the two water companies together with the Canal & River Trust charity, and will bring important environmental benefits, including lessening Affinity Water’s demand on water from chalk aquifers, whilst helping to increase resilience, and meet future water supply targets for the region.

Clare Carlaw, Head of Engagement, Land & Consents at Affinity Water, said:

“This scheme is crucial in ensuring we can supply our customers with drinking water in the future, but it goes further than that; we will also use this scheme to help wider water supplies across the east of the country. The scheme supports our commitment to reduce taking water from the precious chalk aquifers, and working collaboratively with our partners on this scheme has meant we are developing an innovative and environmentally responsible solution. We want the local communities, local authorities, canal users and businesses to get involved in our public consultation and help inform how we deliver this vitally important resource for the future.”

The Grand Union Canal Transfer scheme will begin at the Minworth Wastewater Recycling Centre near Birmingham, where water will be treated before being transferred via a new pipeline to Atherstone in Warwickshire. It will then begin its journey along the Coventry, Oxford and Grand Union canals. Once it has been transferred through the canal network, the water will be piped from the canal, stored, and treated again at a new water treatment works, before being transferred as clean drinking water to an existing reservoir near Luton.

It is hoped that the scheme will be in action by 2032. Public consultation opened on 11th September 2024, to gather the views from those living near to the proposed route, canal users and others who may be interested in the scheme.

Peter Walker, Head of Strategic Infrastructure Projects, Canal & River Trust, explained:

“Britain’s canal network was built hundreds of years ago as the freight arteries that fuelled the industrial revolution.” “Still used and navigated by boats today, canals have also been repurposed to serve modern society, ensuring thousands of jobs in leisure and tourism, and supporting biodiversity and the wellbeing of millions of people. The Grand Union Canal Transfer will invest in the network ensuring it can move water for domestic supply alongside its day-to-day role for navigation, and thereby helping to play a vital part in meeting one of the major challenges faced by society today.”

The consultation is open for 6 weeks until 25 October and the partners behind the scheme will be holding consultation events across the region throughout this period.