THAMES Water is inviting members of the public to a pop-up consultation regarding the future of its services.
The utilities provider is laying out its plans and taking views from the public as part of its public consultation on the company’s proposed strategic plan for water supply.
Members of the team at Thames Water will be attending the event in the Oracle to field questions and share information on predicted water shortages and how the company aims to keep water supplies stable and resilient.
The Water Resources Management Plan, currently a draft, is currently looking to come into effect in 2024, and will lay out the company’s aims and intentions for the next 50 years.
This includes how it intends to manage water from the Thames at Teddington, supported by water recycling, and a new reservoir in Oxfordshire, plus schemes to share water across the South East.
It seeks to protect residents against the growing risks of drought and reduce environmental impact.
Thames Water currently supplies around 2.6 billion litres of water to customers every day.
The company says that the heat and lack of water experienced last summer look set to continue, and demand is expected to continue to increase as the population in the region growing.
Nevil Muncaster, strategic resources director at Thames Water, said: “At our event in Reading, we are looking forward to hearing the views of local customers and representatives from community groups and businesses.
“We’re asking for feedback on the big decisions we need to make to meet our regional water challenges, especially planning and building new water resources infrastructure.
He explains: “It will be many years before they’re ready to provide a safe, secure water supply for our children and grandchildren as well as bringing benefits to our local communities and the environment, but we need to take the strategic decisions now.
“We want to ensure everyone can come along and find out more information about plans and that a wide range of community opinions are reflected in the feedback on the consultation.”
The consultation will take place in The Oracle between 10am and 6pm on Friday, January 27.
The fourteen-week consultation on the draft plan will end on Tuesday, March 21, and it sent to the Secretary of State for Environment in June.
Details of the plans and the consultation process are available via: www.thames-wrmp.co.uk/
