Water Resources

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Stream near Brooklands Lake Dartford
Fishing at Darenth Lakes
The Thames
Thames and Medway canal
 Clean water is needed for everyday life and sewage treatment for public health and to protect the environment. The Thames is now one of the cleanest metropolitan rivers in the world, featuring 121 different species of fish including salmon, an estimated 170,000 birds, grey seals and dolphins.

Most of South East England’s water supply comes not from the Thames but via abstraction from deep wells (aquifers) in porous rocks such as chalk. The average daily consumption in the home is around 160 litres per person. This has been rising at a time when water levels in aquifers have been falling because of drought conditions in recent years.

In order to confirm water resources are available to meet the scale of development proposed, and to avoid a negative impact on water quality, a Water Cycle Study will:

  • Review the need for demand management and water efficiency measures in new and existing properties;
  • Consider the need for new strategic resources;
  • Identify environmental constraints to development, and the infrastructure required to ensure environmental capacity is not breached;
  • Assess the potential for Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems;
  • Identify opportunities to integrate flood risk mitigation infrastructure into the Green Grid.

Web Link:
Environment Agency Thames 2100 project
The Thames Estuary Partnership
Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA)
Information about Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS)
Waterstone Park


Protection of water resources, of fresh and salt water ecosystems and of the water we drink and bathe in is one of the cornerstones of environmental protection in Europe.

WISE – The European Commission Water Information System for European
 

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