Unless new reservoirs are built, England could face drinking water shortages within a decade, a government minister has warned.
Water Minister, Emma Hardy, was speaking on BBC Breakfast after the government announced it was stepping in to take control of the planning process to build reservoirs in Lincolnshire and the Fens – set to be completed in 2040 and 2036 respectively.
Hardy explained the government stepping in was “really important” as without the reservoirs “we’re going to be running out of the drinking water that we need by the mid-2030s”.
The two projects have now been awarded the status of “nationally significant”, moving the decision for both away from a local level to Environment Secretary, Steve Reed. In doing so, the government expects the planning process to be streamlined and accelerated, helping protect water resources for over three quarters of a million homes in England’s most water-stressed areas.
