A government enquiry concerning Basingstoke’s ‘water stress’ has got councilors hot under the collar.
Basingstoke has less water available per head of population than many sub-Saharan countries but a government enquiry could see it reduced further. Members of Basingstoke and Deane borough council have now had their say on water supply plans for the region. The enquiry aims to ascertain how north Hampshire’s main water supplier will service customers from north Hampshire to Kent over the next 25 years. Any changes to South East Water’s plans would be crucial for Basingstoke, as it is already deemed an area of severe water stress and the problem is set to worsen with the increasing population.
Concerned about the borough’s growing water needs, the government has suggested that the South East Water’s projected water consumption per capita per day for the borough is too high, and suggested it be lowered from 156 litres to 130 litres. Cllr Onnalee Cubitt, a planning and infrastructure committee member, was a representative for Basingstoke at the inquiry meeting held last week in Mapledurwell. She said: “We currently have less water available per head than many sub-Saharan countries in Africa. To lower it any more would be shocking. I was told at the inquiry meeting that we had to improve efficiency to cope with the rising population, but this argument isn’t good enough. Our environment is already being damaged, and we shouldn’t be striving for efficiency that we don’t know is obtainable.”
Cllr Stephen Reid, chair of the borough’s planning and infrastructure committee, was also representing Basingstoke at the meeting. He said: “My view is that if fresh water availability is a constraint on development, I want that to be recognised and not massaged away by over-optimistic views on reductions in consumption per head. I don’t want planning by aspiration; I want planning by fact.”
While the enquiry ended last Sunday, the final verdict by the Secretary of State on what changes, if any, will be made to South East Water’s plans, may be months away. Both councillors believe the changes suggested by the government would cause environmental problems, as well as hitting people’s pockets.
“The River Loddon is already being over-polluted with phosphates downstream from the sewage works, and I fear that reduced flows would make this worse,” said Cllr Reid. “We could also see the introduction of rationing by price. This means smart metres being put into people’s homes, which could cause their bills to soar.”
Whatever the result of the enquiry, Cllr Reid and Cllr Cubitt will carry on campaigning for Basingstoke’s worsening water plight to get proper recognition. “I am very unhappy about people being told that they cannot water their gardens and their allotments because they have to accommodate thousands more people in the borough,” said Cllr Cubitt. People must be made aware of our chronic water problem.”
South East Water commented it has always welcomed robust debate.
