Three items on water resources 

1. Past & Future Drought Events in Europe

In case you missed it (I did), a recent European Commission report investigates the trends and impacts of past and future meteorological drought events in Europe. It estimates the damage caused by droughts in Europe over the last 60 years at over €100 billion, with costs increasing significantly since 2000. It includes the first ever database of drought events and their impacts that occurred from 1950 to 2012, classified by country and region according to their duration, severity, intensity, peak and area involved.

2. Environment Agency Water Resource Planning Guidance to Companies

The Environment Agency has sent its updated water resource planning guidance to water companies. It is much shorter and less prescriptive than previous versions, with signposts to other guidance for specific aspects, including climate change. It recommends the use of an ecosystem service approach to environmental valuation and is accompanied by some guiding principles from Defra, including a longer (than 25 years) approach to planning, working with other companies/sectors, recognition of ‘the value of natural assets’, and more progress on water efficiency and leakage.

3. Anglian Water Open a new reservoir at Grafham

Anglian Water: The Duke of Edinburgh visits Grafham Water to celebrate reservoir’s 50th anniversary and open a new facility to secure water supplies for decades to come. It’s 50 years since the Duke of Edinburgh first opened Grafham Reservoir. Today (25 May) His Royal Highness returned to the popular Cambridgeshire water park to mark its special anniversary. The Duke also officially opened Anglian Water’s state-of-the-art storage reservoir and pumping station next to the existing Grafham Water Treatment Works.

The new £28million facility will store an additional 40million litres of treated water to secure supplies for more than a million homes and businesses in the growing Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes area for decades to come. On the banks of the reservoir at the Grafham Water Fishing Lodge hundreds of people from the local community, Grafham activity clubs, and Anglian Water employees, gathered for the anniversary celebrations. It was the perfect opportunity to see the pivotal role Grafham Water has played in the community over the past half century. Click here for more information.