FAQs
- Replace the water we take from our existing underground and river sources, in order to protect the environment and wildlife
- Supply an increasing population and the new homes being built in the area
- Offset the impacts of climate change, with hotter summers and wetter winters
- Make water supplies more resilient to drought, so extreme restrictions are less likely to happen.
- Halving leakage by 2050 (compared to 2017-2018)
- Reducing demand for water with smart metering and water efficiency
- Developing a new groundwater source near Aylesford by 2026
- Developing a desalination plant at Reculver by 2044.
Why is Broad Oak Water needed?
Broad Oak Water plays a key role in securing reliable, sustainable water supplies for Kent in the future. By 2050, we predict we’ll need to find at least an extra 90 million litres of water per day in Kent – that’s nearly half the amount we supply today on average.
We already operate in an area of serious water stress, which means the amount of water we need is high compared to the amount of water available. However, this challenge is becoming increasingly complex, as in the future we will also need to:
Why can't South East Water say no to new housing?
Like all water companies, South East Water is not a statutory consultee in planning applications. The Water Industry Act states that water companies must always provide new water connections for domestic purposes.
Our Water Resources Management Plan 2024 sets out in great detail how we propose to provide our customers with safe, reliable water supplies now and in the future and, at the same time, protect and enhance our precious environment.
As part of the process to develop our Water Resources Management Plan 2024, we engaged with Local Planning Authorities to ensure planned new housing developments are incorporated into our forecasts.
What will Broad Oak Water offer to South East Water customers?
Broad Oak Water plays a key role in securing reliable, sustainable water supplies for Kent in the future. It would also create a new place for local communities to enjoy nature, with a range of recreational facilities that could open up local job opportunities.
Why has Broad Oak Water not gone ahead before?
While we’ve owned the land at Broad Oak since the 1970s, there hasn’t been sufficient need for the water until more recent years.
Previously, our priority has been to reduce leakage, improve water efficiency, install water meters and strengthen our network to ensure supplies. This has been the most cost-effective approach for customers, the most affordable in terms of bills and the most sustainable.
More recently, the need for extra water has significantly increased, particularly as we need to reduce the amount of water we currently draw from chalk streams to protect the environment. As a result, the reservoir has been selected for development in our Water Resources Management Plan 2024, which you can read at: www.southeastwater.co.uk/future-water/.
What else is South East Water doing to secure water?
Broad Oak Water is part of a balanced mix of options to make up the predicted extra 90 million litres of water needed per day in Kent, by 2050.
From the mid-2030s, Broad Oak Water will be able to supply up to 22 million litres per day and when combined with the other projects and initiatives we’re progressing below, will help us secure the extra water needed:
You can find out about all of our planned water supply upgrades happening across our water network at: https://www.southeastwater.co.uk/about/updates/improving-your-water-network/
What is South East Water doing to improve leakage across the network, in particular in the Canterbury region?
At South East Water, we are constantly working to improve and maintain our water network and we are looking to invest significantly to improve our network in and around Canterbury.
We are aiming not only to reduce the amount of bursts and leaks on our pipes, but this vital work will also secure a resilient water supply for the area’s growing population, ensuring we can continue to deliver a high-quality service for future generations.
What is South East Water doing to tackle demand?
There is a clear drive from the government for water companies to reduce leakage levels and to support customers to change behaviours around water use. Our Water Resources Management Plan 2024 includes interventions to meet these government targets to reduce leakage, household consumption and business demand. We aim to achieve these ambitious targets through measures such as smart metering and tariffs to encourage behavioural change, water efficiency audits and devices. We want to work in partnership to drive down demand through rainwater harvesting, communications and new water efficient labelling to white goods and stricter design standards for new buildings.
