The Sussex North supply area covers the North West of Sussex, and supplies over 250 000 customers in the towns of Crawley and Horsham together with the rural areas of mid-Sussex. The area was identified in the 2004 Water Resources Plan as needing additional water to meet predicted levels of customer demand within the period 2010 – 2015.
Southern Water has been undertaking an extensive review of the available options for providing additional water to the Sussex North WRZ, including the development of new water resources and adoption of demand management and water efficiency measures.
The preferred strategy would see the development of a new surface water source of abstraction from the tidal stretch of the River Arun (South of Pulborough), with an associated small raw water storage reservoir, and pumping and pipework infrastructure to link with the existing water supply works at Hardham. A separate scheme would involve the upgrading of the existing water main between Hardham and Stopham. Further information on these two schemes, together with alternative options that have been considered, but are not proposed to be selected, are set out in the Sussex North Water Resource Study Phase 3 Options Appraisal Report.
A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), which complements the Options Appraisal process for the Sussex North Water Resource Investigations Project, is also being carried out, in accordance with the requirements of the SEA Directive (2001/42/EC) and The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (England) Regulations 2004. The Environmental Report for that SEA is now complete and available to view. The appendices for the Environmental Report have been produced as a separate document and are available to review.
The SEA helps to ensure that any likely significant effects on the environment arising from future water resource options are identified, described, evaluated and taken into account before the final water resource options are selected. It also ensures that reasonable alternatives are identified and that they are evaluated for their likely significant effects.
A public consultation is being carried out on the SEA Environmental Report as part of the SEA process. Comments on the SEA Environmental Report contained within this website are therefore invited. This consultation process ends on 6th February 2008.
Electronic responses can be sent to: a.blaxland@adamshendry.co.uk. Hard copy responses can be sent to:
Andy Blaxland
Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd
7 St Peter Street
Winchester
Hampshire
SO23 8BW
Southern Water is proposing to undertake detailed site investigation works and engineering design work on its preferred option relating to the River Arun and Hardham, prior to completing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the scheme. The EIA would accompany the submission of an eventual planning application for the proposed scheme. There will be further consultation and opportunities to comment both as part of the preparation of the EIA, and on any planning application that may be submitted.
