Secure water supply
for the Weald
Cranbrook is part of Mid Kent Water’s
Weald water supply area.This area has suffered
over a number of years following problems with
transferring water from the treatment works at
Bewl Water and Goudhurst into areas around Cranbrook
during peak periods.
 As
recently as 2003, Mid Kent Water had to resort
to using road tankers to move water into the
Weald over the summer months to maintain supplies.This
is clearly unsatisfactory in terms of the economic
impact to Mid Kent Water’s customers and
the environmental impact to the surrounding area.
This problem was not caused by a water shortage,
but by being unable to ensure that the water
supplies were in the right place to meet demand.
To provide a long-term solution, additional
water storage in the central part of the Weald
area is necessary to improve the reliability
of supply to customers in the Weald, particularly
in peak demand periods. Mid Kent Water already
has an existing treated water storage reservoir
at Cranbrook, with a capacity of 11 megalitres
(11,000m3).
To increase the amount of treated water storage
in the area, Mid Kent Water is planning to invest £3.4
million by extending its current capacity in
Cranbrook.The proposed new reservoir will ensure
that a larger volume of water is stored locally
to enable high demands to be met and to improve
the reliability of supplies to customers in the
Cranbrook and Tenterden areas.
An additional service reservoir
in Cranbrook
To increase the supply of water to the Weald,
Mid Kent Water is planning to extend its existing
treated water storage facility at Glassenbury Road
in Cranbrook, by around 10 megalitres (10,000m3).
The current and proposed reservoirs are known
as “service reservoirs”. Rather than
being a large open-air resource like Bewl Water,
a service reservoir consists of a tank containing
treated water, partially buried in the ground.
The new reservoir will work most effectively
if the top and bottom water-levels are consistent
with those of the existing reservoirs in the area.
It also makes most economic sense to locate the
reservoir at the highest point in the locality
to ensure that water can be supplied through gravity,
rather than pumping. For these two reasons, Mid
Kent Water has identified an optimum site for the
new reservoir, which is located on land adjacent
to the existing site.
The proposed site
In addition to its close proximity to the existing
reservoir, the site has been specifically chosen
due to its lack of visual intrusion, accessibility
and distance from the nearby residential area.
Mid Kent Water has also given careful consideration
to the construction works required. To ensure that
visual integrity of the site is maintained, we
have devised a programme of works that will enhance
and be sympathetic to the vista and the environment.
Construction
The construction period is likely
to commence in October 2007 for a duration of approximately
18 months.The proposed reservoir will comprise
a floor, vertical walls and a roof supported by
internal columns, all constructed in reinforced
concrete. The internal dimensions of the proposed
reservoir are approximately 56 metres x 36 metres
x 6 metres deep.The overall footprint of the reservoir
will be approximately 75 metres x 65 metres including
embankments.
It will be partially constructed
below the existing ground-level and will be surrounded
by grassed embankments using the ground originally
excavated.
For safety, security and environmental
reasons, the site of the proposed reservoir will
be surrounded by a green metal fence, which in
turn will be shielded by a mixed species hedge.
Throughout the construction process,
Mid Kent Water proposes to use a temporary access
road, linking the site to Turnden Road. This will
minimise the level of disturbance to the surrounding
residential area.
An environmentally
responsible project
An Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) of the proposal is currently being undertaken
to identify practical measures for protecting and
enhancing the environment of the site.
Following a period of consultation
with the local community, an application for planning
permission is scheduled to be submitted to Tunbridge
Wells Borough Council in June 2007.
Download maps:
Reports
Further information
Further information on the planned
development can be found on this page which will
be updated as information becomes available.
Telephone: Customer
Helpline 0845 8 50 60 60
E-mail: water@midkent.co.uk
Address: Customer
Services, Mid Kent Water, Snodland, Kent ME6 5AH |
Print Page
Secure
water supply for the Weald 
