By Harry Mottram: Back in March Government Minister Emma Hardy met Susan Davy the CEO of South West Water who own the reservoir at Sharpham Road to view the proposed project to build Cheddar Reservoir 2. Although anecdotally surveyors have been seen in the Cheddar Valley area assessing the potential site of the new reservoir which is expected to lie to the south of the current one no announcements have been made by the utility about when construction work will commence.
However, reading documents in water watchdog and regulator Ofwat’s Strategic regional water resource solution review of the decision for Cheddar 2 Reservoir it is clear the project is set to proceed following the March 6th, 2025, green light. The only proviso from Ofwat is that the Somerset Levels and wetlands in the valley need to be protected – essentially from drying out due to the water extraction in Cheddar. The moor that stretches from Uphill to Wells is known for its rhynes or ditches and with a dry April and early May this year clearly there is a threat to the Levels if too much water is extracted in future.
Interestingly writing in Bristol Water’s management plan for 2025-2080 CEO Susan Davey said technically if water conservation was increased the need for a new reservoir may not be needed. She wrote: “Cheddar is also a well-established site for a second reservoir that could now be used to increase resilience of water resources across the entire region. And with increased interconnections and reduced leakage, we can make sure that we share this water around the region, with customers and businesses protected from changing weather patterns and growth.
“If we can reduce the amount of water we use by around a quarter, to an average of 110 litres per person per day, as well as reducing leakage by a further 30%, our calculations suggest that we will not need further water resources in the Bristol region. However, this demand management strategy carries risk as it is not entirely within our control.”
The reality is that it is much harder to reduce water usage as she outlines and with more homes being constructed in Axbridge and nearby, plus the potential of droughts as we experienced in 1976, then Cheddar Reservoir 2 is essential to maintain water supplies in future. And in their documents Bristol Water show how water from the new reservoir would not only bolster local supplies but also feed into North Somerset and Bristol.
Nationally the Government announced earlier this year that there are plans for nine new reservoirs with billions unlocked for the construction. 1992 was the last time a new reservoir wad built and with plans for one and half million new homes to created in the next five years – each one using around 150 litres of water a day it’s not hard to see why Cheddar Reservoir 2 is needed.
The first reservoir was constructed using pick and shovels, steam powered cranes and shovels, diesel powered plant and hundreds of workers in the 1930s. It was completed just before World War Two with a second one planned to be built alongside it but this didn’t happen due to costs and the outbreak of war.
Cheddar Reservoir is owned by Bristol Water who in turn are owned by South West Water who are owned by the Devon based Pennon Group who have put by £84million for the project.
More about the story at https://www.harrymottram.co.uk/2024/10/24/axbridge-news-bristol-water-confirm-cheddar-reservoir-2-is-on-and-give-the-real-reason-for-the-delays/
For more on the history of the reservoir see https://www.harrymottram.co.uk/axbridge/axbridge-features/axbridge-review-looking-back-to-the-1930s-when-400-men-steam-power-and-picks-and-shovels-built-cheddar-reservoir-in-the-shadow-of-the-second-world-war/
Axbridge Review is edited by Harry Mottram and is published for the interest of himself and fellow residents.
Harry is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc
Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk
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