Sphere
#36
2014
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2009, and the expansion was completed
in 2013.
The delay was due to repeated protests by
environmentalists. The reservoir, however,
has now become a recognised centre
for nature preservation. The Abberton
Reservoir Visitor Centre sees thousands
visit its vibrant wildlife reserve every year,
and the reservoir is a vital resting stop for
over 40,000 migratory birds annually.
They find a more tranquil resting place
than existed during the Second World
War, when The Dam Busters, the Royal
Air Force’s 617 Squadron, practised
bombing runs there. The reservoir is a
UN-designated Ramsar Convention site,
recognising its importance as a wetland
habitat worthy of special note.
North by Northumbria
The eponymous Northumbria, in
England’s north-east, is where the
company has its origins. Its Kielder
Water, the largest man-made reservoir
in Europe, is one of 22 major impounding
reservoirs, serving 2.7 million people. It is
surrounded by Kielder Forest – the largest
working forest in England. The area was a
water-hungry centre of heavy industry in
the Victorian era, and the reservoir was
created to serve that industry. However, it
was completed just as industry decamped
to Asia, system maintenance reduced
leakage dramatically and industrial
processes improved water use efficiency
– all reducing demand. The upside is that
Northumbrian Water is ready for potential
climate change.
Climate change UK
Current thinking is that climate change
means the UK will have wetter winters and
drier summers – overall a neutral impact on
annual supply. The concern is that weather
incidents will be more intense with sharper
bursts of rainfall giving rise to flooding.
With large reservoirs already in place,
Northumbrian Water is ready upstream.
Downstream is another issue.
Thunder Thursday
Thunder Thursday – 28 June 2012. A
perfect storm, or rather three of them,
caught the entire nation’s meteorological
establishment unaware by converging
on England’s north-east and dumping a
month’s worth of rain on the area in just
two hours.
“It was like Armageddon. The sky was
completely black,” recounts Mike Madine,
Sewerage and New Development Manager.
A storm of this magnitude occurs once in
1,000 years and cannot be prepared for.
NWG is ready for nearly any contingency,
but nature continually tests its limits.
With sophisticated radar weather tracking
stations and close cooperation with the
UK government’s Environment Agency
and municipal officials, the company
has been much more proactive about
controlling flooding in recent years. The
upstream parts of Northumbrian Water
receive relatively clean water which is
treated so that it reaches top drinking
water quality standards, but its sewerage
division must deal with whatever the
• Essex – The driest part of England
features a reservoir that not only serves
the people, but also houses a UN-
recognised bird reserve.
• Suffolk – The smallest operation has
low winter demand contrasted with high
summer tourist demand.
Across the UK, the general approach is
to store water during the winter and then
release it over the summer. Reservoirs, built
in the Victorian era, powered Britain’s rise
as an industrial nation. Many of the same
reservoirs are still in use. Alongside them,
more sophisticated water management has
come into play as well as new resources
including the giant Kielder Water reservoir
opened by Her Majesty the Queen in 1982.
Reservoirs –
a natural sanctuary
Fortunately, the company has recently
completed measures to avoid future
shortages. The expansion of the Abberton
Reservoir saw GBP150 million spent to
expand its capacity by 60 per cent to
40,000 megalitres. Planning began in
1993, permission was finally granted in
Essex
Northumbrian
suffolk
Europe
’
s largest
man-made
reservoir
UN- recognised
Nature Reserve
Low winter demand
high summer
tourist demand
40
,
000
