The UK government has approved the construction of two new reservoirs in East Anglia and Lincolnshire, marking the first such projects in England in over 30 years. This decision aims to combat impending water shortages caused by a rising population and drier summers due to climate breakdown. Environment Minister Steve Reed granted the projects 'nationally significant' status. These reservoirs, proposed by Anglian Water and Cambridge Water, are expected to supply water to over 750,000 homes, with seven more planned by 2050 to address a predicted shortfall of almost 5 billion litres a day.
First new reservoirs in England for more than 30 years given go-ahead
WaterWater industryCambridgeshireLincolnshireEnglandEnvironmentBusinessUK
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️The UK government has approved the construction of two new reservoirs in East Anglia and Lincolnshire, marking the first such projects in England in over 30 years. This decision aims to combat impending water shortages caused by a rising population and drier summers due to climate breakdown. Environment Minister Steve Reed granted the projects 'nationally significant' status. These reservoirs, proposed by Anglian Water and Cambridge Water, are expected to supply water to over 750,000 homes, with seven more planned by 2050 to address a predicted shortfall of almost 5 billion litres a day.
Trending- 1 1992: The last reservoir was built in England.
- 2 Recent weeks: The government warned of an impending drought if there wasn't significant rainfall.
- 3 May 29, 2025: The government orders the building of two new reservoirs in East Anglia and Lincolnshire.
- 4 Ongoing: The approved projects will now progress to the consultation phase.
- 5 2036: The Fens reservoir is expected to be completed.
- 6 2040: The Lincolnshire reservoir is expected to be working.
- 7 By 2050: The Environment Agency predicts a shortfall of almost 5 billion litres of water a day; seven more new reservoirs are planned to be built.
- Increased water supply for over 750,000 homes in England's most water-stressed areas
- Securing water resources for future generations
- Unlocking the building of thousands of homes currently held up by water supply issues
- Addressing the impacts of climate breakdown on water availability
What: The UK government has approved the construction of two new 'nationally significant' reservoirs in East Anglia and Lincolnshire, the first in England in over 30 years, with plans for seven more by 2050, to address critical water shortages.
When: More than 30 years (since the last reservoir was built); 1992 (last reservoir built); in recent weeks (government warned of drought); by 2040 (Lincolnshire reservoir expected to be working); 2036 (Fens reservoir expected to be completed); by 2050 (seven more reservoirs planned, predicted water shortfall).
Where: England; East Anglia; Lincolnshire; south of Sleaford; between Chatteris and March; Oxfordshire; Somerset; Suffolk; Kent; East Sussex; West Midlands.
Why: The projects are necessary due to a lack of reservoir capacity, a rising population, drier summers caused by climate breakdown, and the risk of running out of water. They also aim to secure water supply for future generations and enable the building of thousands of new homes.
How: Environment Minister Steve Reed awarded 'nationally significant' status to the two initial projects, ordering them to proceed. Anglian Water and Cambridge Water are proposing the specific reservoir developments. Ofwat is providing £2bn in development funding for major water infrastructure projects.