England faces an escalating challenge over water supplies as climate models predict wetter winters alongside increasingly frequent summer heatwaves and reduced rainfall, raising concerns that the country could eventually run out of water. According to the Environment Agency, these combined pressures have strained rivers and public water supply systems, leading to lower river levels and restrictions on agricultural irrigation.
The Infrastructure Gap and the Reservoir Debate
To capture excess winter water, new storage facilities are required, yet England has not built a major new reservoir in over 30 years. Water companies and campaigners have long debated the root cause of this infrastructure drought. Campaigners point to a lack of investment from the privatized sector, while water companies argue that regulators withheld permission to spend money due to the potential impact on customer water bills. The government’s landmark independent Cunliffe review into the water sector in 2025 accepted that both arguments held validity. Plans are now in place to build 10 new reservoirs in England by 2050, though financial and political backing alone will not simplify construction.
Did You Know? In 1818, writer John Keats famously described living in a country “continually under hatches… Rain! Rain! Rain!”—a stark contrast to the modern supply pressures and low rainfall periods currently affecting English rivers.
Engineering Hurdles and the Abingdon Mega-Reservoir Project
Building large water storage sites presents significant geographical and environmental obstacles. “Building enough reservoirs to hold all that water requires good places, which means places where the land is sloping, where we can find a valley,” explains Dr Ross Woods, associate professor of water and environmental engineering at the University of Bristol, adding that such conditions are not realistic countrywide. One site identified as suitable for a mega-reservoir capable of serving 15 million people is located near Abingdon in Oxfordshire. Public opinion around the Abingdon site has been split, with objectors raising concerns about environmental costs and the destruction of ancient woodlands. Consequently, the government has designated the Abingdon project and one other reservoir as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, bypassing certain local decision-making processes.
Expert Insight: Balancing the urgent need for large-scale water storage with strict environmental protections creates a complex regulatory hurdle. Even with fast-tracked national infrastructure designations, meeting stringent water quality laws remains a critical test for project viability.
Environmental Standards and Treatment Cost Barriers
Infrastructure designations do not clear the strict environmental hurdles governing new water bodies. Under environmental law, new reservoirs must achieve “good” status for water quality, meaning they must be free from pollution such as agricultural runoff and invasive species. Currently, just 14% of water bodies in England have achieved this status. Furthermore, the Environment Agency informed the Cunliffe Review that the treatment costs required to meet “good” water quality standards could render the new reservoirs infeasible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why hasn’t England built major new reservoirs recently?
England has not built a major new reservoir in over 30 years due to a debate between water companies and campaigners. Campaigners cite a lack of investment from the privatized sector, while water companies maintain that regulators denied them permission to spend funds because of the impact on water bills. A 2025 government review accepted both arguments as true.
How many reservoirs are currently planned for England?
There are 10 new reservoirs planned in England by 2050, including a designated mega-reservoir near Abingdon in Oxfordshire designed to serve 15 million people.
What are the primary environmental obstacles facing new reservoirs?
New reservoirs must attain “good” status for water quality under environmental law by remaining free from agricultural runoff and invasive species. Because only 14% of current water bodies in England meet this standard, the Environment Agency has warned that treatment costs could make the new projects infeasible.
How should regional water managers balance the urgent need for new storage infrastructure against local environmental concerns and strict water quality regulations?
Worth a look