The North Suffolk Reservoir Project aims to seek consent for the construction and operation of a reservoir in North Suffolk. This includes buried pipelines to transport water from nearby rivers to the reservoir and from the reservoir to a water treatment plant, as well as the expansion of the existing Barsham Water Treatment Works, or a new water treatment works. This Project will support the delivery of a reliable and resilient water supply for our customers and local businesses for generations to come.
Our Water Resource Management Plan identified a North Suffolk reservoir as a preferred option to deliver a reliable, resilient water supply to our customers and local businesses. We have been progressing work on the Project alongside our long-term water resources planning, including engaging with statutory stakeholders and conducting on-site surveys to validate and confirm existing environmental data.
Our survey work is essential to improving our understanding of the Suffolk region and will be used to undertake future modelling and environmental planning, which will help us develop a range of projects that can meet our Water Resource Management Plan (WRMP), including the North Suffolk Reservoir.
This technical work takes time. Confirmation on the preferred projects to meet our water resource needs will be taken between 2027 and the publication of our WRMP29, which is our plan for how we will manage water resources in the region.
Why is this project needed?
East Anglia is one of the driest parts of the country and has been confirmed by the Environment Agency as being a Serious Water Stressed Area. In Suffolk we supply water to 300,000 people, including those in and around Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
We, Essex and Suffolk Water, are forecasting in our Water Resource Management Plan that there will not be enough water supply to meet forecasted demand over the next 25 years and beyond without additional investment. This shortfall is driven by many factors, such as:
- reduced abstraction from rivers to support environmental improvements,
- climate change means we need to prepare for worsening droughts, and
- the demand for water within the region is predicted to rise further over the next 25 years, largely due to a forecast increase in population.
To provide a reliable and resilient service for our customers for generations to come, we’re planning to invest £1.5 billion throughout 2025 – 2030. We will do this by working hard to reduce demand and putting plans in place to increase supply.
Next Steps
The project remains at a very early stage. Further information will be shared as Essex & Suffolk Water develops its next Water Resources Management Plan, which is expected to be published in draft form in 2028. We are committed to fully engaging with landowners, communities and their representatives throughout this process.