Water firm publishes plan for next half century

South East Water has published its plan to keep homes supplied for the next 50 years.

The company, which has 2.3m customers across Surrey, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire, has promised to reduce leaks and invest in new reservoirs and desalination and recycling plants.

Included in the Water Resources Management Plan is a proposal to build a reservoir at Broad Oak, near Canterbury, which will hold over 5,000 million litres.

In an interview with BBC South East in August, chief executive David Hinton said the supplier had been "caught on the hop" by the pace of climate change.

Nick Price, head of water resources, said: “Our ability to supply water is under increasing pressure due to a growing population, climate change and new laws to protect the environment.

“These plans are very much long-term and have taken into account the extreme weather we have experienced in recent years and the changing pattern we have seen in the demand for water.

“The wide-ranging plan has been guided by extensive research, detailed data, customer involvement, and engagement with stakeholders and other interested parties.”

The company is promising to invest £2.3bn in the next 50 years - £1.2bn of that on infrastructure and £1.1bn to reduce leaks by half by 2075.

The full plan can be viewed on South East Water's website.

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.