Taking into account changing weather patterns over the next 60 years, coupled with a 53 per cent predicted increase in population within its supply area, the company has published its draft Water Resources Management Plan which puts forward proposals for how those challenges could be overcome.

Between 2020 and 2045, the water company’s plans include:

• Building a new water treatment works at the former Aylesford Newsprint site, Kent by 2023
• upgrading existing water treatment works at Ford WTW in east Kent by 2027
• developing a water reuse scheme at Peacehaven, East Sussex by 2028
• Building a new reservoir next to our existing Arlington Reservoir, East Sussex by 2032
• creating a new reservoir in Broad Oak, Kent by 2033
• a water re-use scheme at Aylesford, Kent by 2038
• developing a regional water transfer scheme from Sutton and East Surrey Water

Its longer term plans between 2045 and 2080 include:

• Desalination at Eastbourne, Reculver and the River Medway
• water re-use on the River Stour, east Kent
• a new reservoir in West Sussex
• new raw water abstraction and treatment works from the River Thames near Maidenhead, Berkshire
• regional water transfers from Portsmouth and Thames Water
• new ground water resource near Farnborough, Hampshire

South East Water has also pledged to invest in new technology to upgrade its water treatment works, reduce leaks even further and expand its award-winning programme which helps customers control their own water use.

The company is running a series of public exhibitions so you can see the plans, speak to those behind them and make your comments known:

• 19 March 2018 – 12.00 to 20.00 – Berwick Village Hall, 7 Station Road, Polegate, BN26 6TD
• 20 March 2018 – 12.00 to 20.00 – King’s Studio, Aylesford Community Centre, 25 Forstal Road, Aylesford, ME20 7AU
• 23 April 2018 – 14.30 to 20.00 – Tyler’s Kiln, Hackington Road, Tyler Hill, CT2 9NE