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Monday, 23 April 2012 10:46

Government suggests Britain should build national water grid

 

Water minister Richard Benyon has suggested that it is time for Britain to create a national water grid, according to a report in the Sunday Times.

The news comes as the Government searches for ways to manage the current drought in the UK and prevent the situation in the future.

Mr Benyon said a grid could be made by constructing dozens of pipelines to connect water catchments.

“The aim would be to create a system that would transfer water areas from wetter areas like northern England, Wales and Scotland, to the south,” he said.

Benyon has held talks with several water companies about transferring water to drought-stricken areas in the south and east of the country. The laying of emergency overland pipes was discussed, a measure which Severn Trent Water has already undertaken by installing a pipe from the River Leam to the Draycote reservoir.

Severn Trent Water is already in talks with Anglian Water to supply water through 90 miles of pipeline to the company in its drought-hit eastern region. If the Government approves plans for a national grid, this scenario will be much more commonplace.

In addition to a national grid, the concept of universal water metering is also gaining momentum as a drought-prevention measure.

The Sunday Times has stated that ministers are set to approve a decision to introduce compulsory water metering for homes in London and the south east of England.

Thames Water has requested the go-ahead for a metering scheme, which is expected to be approved by Richard Benyon and environment secretary Caroline Spelman in the coming weeks.

A Thames spokesman said:

“We expect our application to be approved shortly. But all 3.3million of the properties we supply won’t be metered overnight. It will take many years. Our plan is to fit 85,000 meters by 2015.”

Southern Water is currently in the second year of its universal metering programme, which will see about 90 per cent of its customers be put on a meter, while Veolia Water Southeast has also won permission for a similar scheme.

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