Will new reservoirs be sufficient to tackle the UK's growing water scarcity risks?

clock • 8 min read
Will new reservoirs be sufficient to tackle the UK's growing water scarcity risks?

Analysis warns lack of water capacity could cost economy billions as the government, as water companies pledge to ramp up investment in much-needed new capacity

Few facts are more emblematic of the UK's decades of chronic under-investment than the way the country's last reservoir was completed in 1993. Since then the population has grown and drought risks have...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

Author spotlight

Amber Rolt

View profile
More from Amber Rolt

Octopus Energy joins forces with DTEK to mobilise €100m for Ukraine solar and battery projects

Scottish whisky distillery to be powered by local solar and hydro facilities

More on Infrastructure

Global Urban Data Centres Pact: Over 30 cities sign up to tackle data centre growth in urban areas
Infrastructure

Global Urban Data Centres Pact: Over 30 cities sign up to tackle data centre growth in urban areas

New initiative aims to address residents' concerns about expansion of AI and digital infrastructure, in a bid to ensure growth is not detrimental to communities or the environment

Amber Rolt
clock 23 June 2026 • 3 min read
DESNZ: Pylons the 'fastest, most cost effective' way to upgrade UK grid
Infrastructure

DESNZ: Pylons the 'fastest, most cost effective' way to upgrade UK grid

Government backed studies finds that while new underground cable methods are cheaper than traditional techniques, average costs are still between 3.5 and 5 times higher than overhead lines

Stuart Stone
Stuart Stone
clock 12 June 2026 • 3 min read
NESO: Grid connection offers in place for over half the projects needed by 2030
Infrastructure

NESO: Grid connection offers in place for over half the projects needed by 2030

Government-backed agency reveals over 700 shovel-ready energy projects have received grid connection offers, unlocking nearly 40GW of extra capacity

James Murray
James Murray
clock 10 June 2026 • 3 min read