Issue - decisions

Matter for Decision: To agree the response to Anglian Water’s Draft Water Resources Management Plan

Why the decision had to be made (and any alternative options): The purpose of this decision is to agree the response to Anglian Water’s Draft Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP), set out at Appendix 1 to this decision.  This is proposed to be a joint response with South Cambridgeshire District Council.

Appendix 1 can be viewed at the link below:

Document Meeting 27.06.23: ROD: Response to Consultation on Anglian Waters Draft Water Resources Management Plan - Cambridge Council

 

Anglian Water are carrying out consultation on their draft WRMP between 22nd December 2022 and 29th March 2023.  All water companies produce a WRMP every five years, and this sets out how they will ensure resilient water supplies to their customers over the next 25 years.

 

The Greater Cambridge area is covered by the Cambridge Water supply area, and a response to that plan which was recently published in being prepared.

 

However, given the Anglian water supply area adjoins Greater Cambridge, and it references measures being applied by Cambridge Water in particular the Fens Reservoir and the earlier bulk water transfer it is considered a response is merited.

 

Anglian Water’s WRMP sets out the challenges faced in the plan period including the impacts of climate change, population growth associated with development in the area, planning for drought resilience and the requirement to leave more water in the environment. In order to balance water supply and demand, and it sets out the measures Anglian Water propose to offset this deficit, which are in line with Water Resources East’s Regional Water Resources Plan.  A three-tiered approach is proposed:

·      Demand management, including reducing leakage, universal metering and use of smart meters

·      Two new raw water storage reservoirs – Fens Reservoir to be developed in partnership with Cambridge Water and South Lincolnshire Reservoir

·      Utilising other sources of water, such as water reuse, desalination and transfers

 

The proposed joint response to the consultation in Appendix 1 is based upon the response the Councils previously made to the Regional Water Resources Plan.

 

The comments request that Anglian Water continues to work cooperatively with Cambridge Water, given the constrained nature of the Cambridge Water supply area.  Anglian Water’s final WRMP will need to take into account issues arising from the consultation on Cambridge Water’s draft Water Resource Management Plan (WRMP) and their resulting final WRMP and vice versa

 

They are also supportive of the measures proposed to provide additional supply of water to Cambridge Water including a proposed time limited transfer from Anglian Water to Cambridge Water and the joint development of the Fens Reservoir.  These proposals are essential to reduce reliance on the abstraction of water from the chalk aquifer in Greater Cambridge which is having a detrimental environmental impact to the chalk streams, and which will also support future housing and economic development.  The proposed comments are additionally supportive of demand management measures to make better use of the water available through water efficiency, leakage control, smart metering and re-use of water.

 

Alternative options

The alternative options available are: The alternative options are:

·      Agree to submit the response in Appendix 1, with possible minor amendments

·      Agree an alternative response

·      Agree not to respond to the consultation

To not submit a consultation response, would miss an opportunity to put forward the Council’s views to Anglian Water in support of measures which will increase supply to Cambridge Water enabling reductions in abstraction causing harm to the environment and to enable housing and economic development.

The Executive Councillor’s decision: To confirm that the consultation response set out in Appendix 1 (attached)  of this decision should be made to Anglian Water’s draft Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP).

Delegated authority is given to the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development to agree any minor amendments to the response in order to finalise the joint response.

Reasons for the decision: To provide the views of Cambridge City Council on the draft WRMP because future water resources which will be a key issue for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan

Scrutiny consideration: The Chair and Spokespersons of Planning & Transport Scrutiny Committee were consulted prior to the action being authorised.

Report: Appendix 1 – Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council response to the Anglian Water’s Draft Water Resources Management Plan

Conflict of interest: None

Comments:

Councillor S Smith endorsed the proposed response to the consultation. In addition to labelling the water consumption of white goods, would add a request for AW to lobby Government to require water usage controls on electric power and rain showers.

In response the Principal Planning Policy Officer advised that the Government’s proposals also include labelling water using products such as taps, showers, toilets in addition to white goods such as dishwashers and washing machines.  The comment about water usage controls on electric power and rain showers has been included within the response to Anglian Water.

Councillor Porrer raised the following points regarding the importance of grey water reuse and rain water harvesting, not only for residential development but also for commercial sites, particularly as we know that we are seeing more lab-based uses coming forward, as well as office space.  Would hope that this is clear in our response and that the government and water strategies are encouraged to push for more greywater reuse and rain harvesting on all larger and commercial sites to mitigate against increase water use, particularly as there may be higher water needs for some lab-based usages.

In response the Principal Planning Policy Officer advised the Anglian Water plans includes a section where we are being supportive of demand management measures set out in the draft WRMP, including water efficiency and reuse which would cover rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling.  We have not distinguished between household and non-household specifically but are supportive of measures for both types of uses, which would include commercial uses.  An amendment has been made to the response to make it clearer that the response is in relation to both residential and non-residential developments.

This response is for the Anglian Water area, which is the adjoining area.  Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire are supplied by Cambridge Water.  We are going to be putting together a response to the Cambridge Water draft Water Resources Management Plan (which has a deadline of 19^th May).  We will make sure we highlight your points in this response about commercial sites including lab-based usage, which is particularly pertinent in Greater Cambridge.

Councillor Bennett advised that a separate response had been submitted by Green Party to the consultation.