Southern Water In Talks To Ship In Water From Norway
Utility firm Southern Water appears to be taking action in the face of future drought conditions and water shortages by looking into the possibilities of shipping water in from fjords in Norway, with the company now in early talks with private company Extreme Drought Resilience Service (EDRS) to see what can be achieved.
The water firm provides approximately 560 million litres of water to homes and businesses each day, but it’s been predicted that an additional 238 million litres per day will be needed by 2030. By 2035, an extra 319 million litres of water will be needed daily, and between 339 and 527 million litres by 2050.
Pressure is being put on local water supplies by a growing population, climate change and the need to deliver water supplies in a sustainable way to protect and improve the environment.
Southern Water’s catchment area covers large areas of Kent, Hampshire, Sussex and the Isle of Wight, and it’s expected that the population will grow between six per cent and 32 per cent between 2025 and 2075.
This could see demand for water supplies increase by between 63 and 180 million litres per day by 2075… although this can be mitigated through various water efficiency measures.
One strategy that the company seems interested in pursuing is tankering water in as a “last-resort contingency measure”, according to managing director for water Tim McMahon.
According to the Financial Times, the proposals would see water brought from glacial melts in the Norwegian highlands via ship, which would then be transported to Southampton for transfer to pipelines that would take it to local treatment works operated by Southern Water.
One issue is that tanked water is typically expensive, because it’s heavy to transport and additional processing is required, as well as testing procedures to assess the chemical balance and to ensure that no invasive species have come along for the ride, as well.
EDRS asserts, however, that if only used infrequently as a stop-gap measure, shipping water could be more cost effective than desalination, which has high operational costs and requires heavy capital investment and expenditure.
And Southern Water isn’t the only supplier considering this course of action, with EDRS executive director Adrian Court confirming that the company is now engaging in “pre-commercial discussions with source providers in Norway and several potential customers, including Southern Water”.
If plans do forge ahead, costs for shipping would be paid for out of customer bills, with Southern Water provisionally allowed by industry regulator Ofwat to raise bills by 44 per cent over the next five-year period.
Southern Water’s conservation strategies
Investigating the benefits of shipping water isn’t the only way that Southern Water intends to conserve water supplies and safeguard resources for the future, of course.
Since 2020, the company has been moving forward with a range of different schemes as part of its current Water Resource Management Plan, including reducing water leaks, encouraging customers to use less water and developing new water sources and pipelines.
To help reduce leakage rates, 7,000 sensors have been installed along the pipe network to detect leaks so that repairs can be implemented as soon as a problem is identified. Plans have also been developed to replace some of the region’s leakiest water mains.
Furthermore, the company has been collaborating with Portsmouth Water to obtain planning permission for a new reservoir at Havant Thicket.
Once construction is complete, Portsmouth Water will supply Southern Water’s catchment area with up to 21 million litres of water per day from existing sources. It’s expected that the new site will be operational by 2029.
Catchment water management has also been a top priority, with nature-based schemes delivered across the region in partnership with local stakeholders to protect and restore local environments to ensure that they’re more resilient and better able to adapt to climate change.
Work includes addressing nitrates through farm trials to prevent nitrate pollution, continued monitoring of rivers including the Test, Itche, Arun, Medway and Western Rother, improving chalk streams and aquifers, and identifying schemes to improve water quality and restore habitats alongside South East Rivers Trust.
How can businesses help?
We all have our part to play in reducing pressure on local water supplies – and businesses, in particular, can make a significant difference to the fortunes of their communities where water resources are concerned.
If you’re interested in finding out more about water sustainability management and what can be achieved, get in touch with the SwitchWaterSupplier.com team today to see how we can help you improve your water footprint and help support your local community.