12. Abstraction reduction - Bow Bridge

Aim: Manage flow

Water body: River Ver

Project description

Affinity have closed their pumping station at Bow Bridge in 2016 to help improve flows in the R. Ver.

The River Ver suffered from chronic low flows for many decades as a consequence of overabstraction of groundwater for public water supply. In order to help restore river flow, Affinity Water ceased abstraction at its Bow Bridge Pumping Station on 1st April 2016, reducing abstraction in the catchment by 5.82 million litres a day.  This closure is part of its ambitious  strategy of abstraction reduction across the Chilterns and Hertfordshire area in the next 25 years  aimed at improving flows in the areas' highly pressured chalk streams. Further reductions of 8.8 million litres a day are planned for the Ver catchment by 2024. Alongside abstraction reduction, Affinity are also planning a series of morphological improvements to the river. It is hoped that the combination of these and abstraction reduction will result in improved flows and increased ecological health.

 

Project lead: Affinity Water

Project partners: Environment Agency

Project start: 2015

Project end: 2017

Funding source: Affinity Water