Your chance to have your say on drought plans being proposed by Southern Water. This in from them, in their own words. Ed
Southern Water has updated its plans on how it would deal with a drought in the South East of England.
The Draft Revised Drought Plan outlines how the company would ensure it could continue to supply customers with safe, healthy drinking water under extreme, dry conditions. It also balances the needs of the environment against the need to supply drinking water.
Changes to Drought Permits and Orders
In severe droughts, water companies can also apply for Drought Permits and Orders for permission to take more water from rivers and underground aquifers and limit water supplies for non-essential use.
The Draft Drought Plan 2011 is different to previous plans because under new legislation, water companies will be expected to introduce Temporary Bans before applying for Drought Permits and Orders.
The Temporary Bans include restrictions such as using hosepipes and sprinklers to wash cars and for garden or allotment watering; filling swimming pools and paddling pools; washing boats or cleaning paths and windows with a hosepipe.
New measures to maximise available water
At the same time, Southern Water will carry out other measures to maximise the use of available water. This includes further leakage reduction, transferring water from a neighbouring water company, bringing un-used water resources back into operation and increasing abstraction in areas where water is available.
The Drought Plan looks at all of these options and when they should be introduced and for how long.
Southern Water submitted its Draft Drought Plan 2011 to Defra on October 1 and it is now open for public consultation and feedback until Friday 30 March, 2012. Southern Water will then review the feedback and comments and publish a response on Friday 18 May, 2012.
Copies of the full Drought Plan and a summary can be found online.
Take part in the Public Consultation.
