In a report published four years ago, the National Infrastructure Commission called for more reservoirs and warned that such projects “must be planned long before they are needed” – saying it takes more than a decade “from the decision to build to being able to use the water that is provided”. Sir John also wants the government to publish minimum “resilience standards”, which could require companies to ensure no household goes without water for more than a set number of days each year – with penalties for companies that don’t comply . Thousands of homes in Surrey were left without water on Saturday after “technical problems” at a treatment project.
Some tanks ‘forced to meet resistance’
Sir John also pushed for more action to plug leaks and plans to transfer water from areas with an adequate supply to parts of the country where there are shortages. He added: “Occasionally we may have to get to a point where, despite all the objections, the Secretary of State will say: ‘I’ve heard all the arguments and I’m willing to go ahead with this, whether it’s a new tunnel. down the river Thames, or if it is a new tank. “Something like a reservoir in a large area in Oxfordshire is bound to meet resistance… For people who have seen 15 years of uncertainty, unrest, construction, road noise etc., what they have seen as green and pleasant fields suddenly become a huge hole … they are unlikely to vote for free choice.’ Writing in this newspaper last week, George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, urged water companies to impose further pipe bans in order to save supplies. He pledged to “streamline the planning permission process” for new reservoirs. But Sir John, the former chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority and ex-chief executive of Network Rail, suggested the government’s plan only dealt with the issue in a “theoretical sense”. He said: “We’re getting to the point, and I guess this summer brought it to the fore, where we just can’t keep thinking about these things forever. Someone has to say right, okay, this is what we want to achieve, this is the quality of service to be achieved, now what are we going to do to deliver it?’
