There is victory in sight in the battle launched 20 years ago by ARK to stop the export of water from the River Kennet aquifers to supply households in Swindon.
The only trouble is that it won’t happen until 2015-2016, seriously disappointed Action for the River Kennet has revealed.
The good news is that Thames Water has announced that construction of the £15 million pipeline between north and south Swindon to link all homes in Swindon to Farmoor reservoir will begin in next year, says ARK.
This means that water from the Kennet Valley will no longer be essential to keep Swindon’s taps flowing, so in times of low flow the chalk stream Kennet, currently over-flowing, can be protected.
Thames Water will be required to stop water abstraction from the little River Og, which will have significant benefits both for the Og and for the River Kennet below Marlborough, leaving more water in the river.
The bad news is that the best completion date expected is 2015-2016. So Thames Water will continue to export water from the Kennet Valley for another two or three years, any reduction in water exports having to wait for the pipeline to be completed.
And with this in mind, Thames Water has now applied to extend their licence to abstract water at Axford.
“This time last year the upper River Kennet was completely dry, with more water being exported to Swindon than was flowing in the river through Marlborough,” ARK director Charlotte Hitchmough, told Marlborough News Online.
“At last it looks as though Thames Water will be able to reduce their water export from the Kennet, particularly in times of low flow, but we are disappointed that it has taken so long to reach this point.
“Over the coming few years we will continue to keep up pressure until the export of water from the Kennet Valley stops.”
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