Another reservoir is needed to protect future water supplies, a council leader has argued as concerns mount over dwindling storage and infrastructure for new homes.
East Devon District Council leader Cllr Paul Arnott (Coly Valley, Liberal Democrats) said he had raised the proposal directly with water company chief executive Keith Haslett.
Speaking at full council on Wednesday, October 14, he warned that water security was a concern for existing communities as well as future development.
Cllr Arnott said: “There is a clear argument that there should be a second reservoir in Devon. And I pitched that to him.”
He said the suggestion had not fallen on “stony ground”, but added: “I’m not sure they’re prepared to do it at the moment.”
No location, funding package or commitment to build another reservoir was announced.
The discussion followed concerns from Cllr Peter Faithfull (Ottery St Mary, Independent), who questioned the implications of continued housebuilding while Wimbleball Reservoir was at a low level.
He also sought an update on the water cycle study and other evidence being prepared for East Devon’s local plan.
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Cllr Arnott said the reservoir’s condition should worry councillors and that he had raised current water security with Mr Haslett.
“We need some rain. We need some rain,” he said.
“It’s a real worry.”
Discussing longer-term supply options, Cllr Arnott referred to the proposed Cheddar Two reservoir and questioned the amount of connecting infrastructure needed to serve Devon.
He said South West Water was also looking at desalination as a possible future source of supply.
The leader argued that the issue extended beyond deciding where new homes should be built, warning of risks to the way people lived now if water security was not addressed.
He added: “My next monomaniac campaign will be give us another reservoir because we need it.”
Earlier in the meeting, Cllr Arnott announced that he had written to the Prime Minister after raising concerns about future sewage infrastructure with the water company.
He said uncertainty over whether infrastructure would be ready when housing sites were developed was affecting councillors’ confidence in approving the local plan.
Cllr Arnott questioned how plausible the company’s future sewage infrastructure plans appeared at that stage.
He also reminded members that the council had previously passed a motion of no confidence in South West Water, arguing that its concerns were longstanding.
Responding to calls for lower housing numbers, he said the council could not simply reduce the requirement.
“If we could, we would,” he said.
Cllr Todd Olive (Whimple and Rockbeare, Liberal Democrats), portfolio holder for place, infrastructure and strategic planning, later promised to circulate an update to councillors on outstanding local plan evidence after a briefing with planning officer Ed Freeman.
The meeting did not approve a reservoir project or agree to halt housebuilding.
Cllr Arnott’s intervention was a call for additional water storage and greater confidence that infrastructure would keep pace with development.
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