Nearly 90 per cent of people back controversial Oxfordshire reservoir

New research shows 89 per cent of residents back the proposed White Horse Reservoir near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, to help with future water shortages.

This comes as the UK is set to enter its fifth record-breaking heatwave this week, with more than two-thirds of England now officially in drought.

Thames Water, Affinity Water, and Southern Water customers would benefit from the reservoir.

Thames Water predicts a daily shortfall of 1 billion litres by 2050 without urgent action.

The reservoir, if approved, could be operational by 2040, providing water to about 15 million people.

Despite public support and the ongoing heatwaves, the UK has not constructed a new reservoir in over 30 years.

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Leonie Dubois, head of engagement for Thames Water (Image: Thames Water)

July was the hottest, sunniest, and driest month since records began, with temperatures reaching 35C in May, June, and July for the first time.

Leonie Dubois, Thames Water’s delivery director, said: “This summer has served as a stark reminder of the extremely hot and dry weather that is set to become our new norm.

“It’s therefore vital that we’re able to store more water and White Horse Reservoir’s role in future water supply is of national critical importance.

“It’s incredibly encouraging to see people backing our plans and wanting to see the reservoir become reality.”

But, in a statement action group ‘Group Against Reservoir Development’ called the reservoir the wrong solution in the wrong place.

The massive reservoir, which will cover an area the size of Gatwick Airport, has always been a topic of debate.

Only Kielder Water in Northumberland, at 200 billion litres, is bigger.

Two groups, Countryside charity CPRE Oxfordshire and Safer Waters, even sought a judicial review at the High Court.

However, their judicial review was dismissed.

Thames Water revealed that costs for the controversial proposed Abingdon Reservoir soared from £2.2 billion to between £5.5 billion and £7.5 billion, a tripling of the original figure.

An artist’s impression of the new reservoir near Abingdon (Image: Thames Water)

Oxfordshire MPs have also raised concerns over the estimated cost of building the reservoir.

Liberal Democrats Olly Glover, Layla Moran and Charlie Maynard argue the rising price tag “significantly undermines the business case and risks leaving bill payers liable”.

Current plans are for the reservoir to be delivered by Thames Water to supply water in the South East, but not Oxfordshire.

This is the second attempt at building the mega reservoir, after an attempt under the Conservative government failed following a public enquiry in 2010.

Thames Water previously said it “welcomes the government’s plans to improve infrastructure across the region”.