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.
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 is at a very early stage. We expect to be able to share a progress update in Spring / Summer 2026.