ACROSS the south-east we saw water companies impose a hosepipe ban because of chronic water shortages, only for it to be lifted in July following what many described as monsoon-type rainfall.
It is high time we looked again at how water is being stored across the south-east, with a focus on the creation of reservoirs. The Environment Agency has projected that temperatures will rise by between 1.3 per cent and 4.6 per cent across southern England by 2050, which will lead to an 80 per cent decrease of gatherable rainfall.
South East Water has said that 75 per cent of its water supplies is dependent on ground waste supplies.
The company is now embarking on a £390m plan to ensure clean and safe water continues to be delivered to the south-east. I would be interested to receive your views to see if South East Water is doing enough to preserve and provide water across the south-east. We must not forget the public and politicians still have an important role in formulating policies that affect our daily lives.
Email me your views at richard.ashworth@europa.europarl.eu .
RICHARD ASHWORTH, Conservative MEP for the South East.
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