Written question asked by Steve Barclay (Conservative) on Friday, 28 August 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It was answered by Emma Hardy (Labour) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

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Water Supply: East of England

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of projected water supply and demand balances in the East of England to 2050; what estimate she has made of a projected water deficit under Water Resources East planning assumptions; and whether her Department has plans to address a deficit through new reservoirs, water transfers, demand management and regulatory reform.

Answer

The current Water Resources East plan sets out a series of water company measures, including demand management and leakage reduction interventions, new strategic reservoirs in Lincolnshire and the Fens, coastal desalination in Norfolk and Lincolnshire, and water recycling plants, in Suffolk and Essex.

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Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

19989

Session

2026-27

Subjects

Reform Regulation Water supply Reservoirs East of England

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk