2020thth Century Problems, 21Century Problems, 21stst Century Solutions:Century Solutions:Groundwater in the northGroundwater in the north--west of Englandwest of England
Phil MerrinPhil Merrin
Groundwater ManagerGroundwater Manager
Water Asset Management and RegulationWater Asset Management and Regulation
United UtilitiesUnited Utilities
Presentation Objectives
UU supply systemUU supply system
Groundwater issues in the NW Groundwater issues in the NW –– 2020thth Century problemsCentury problems
dWRMPdWRMP -- Supply/demand; an uncertain future?Supply/demand; an uncertain future?
Back to the future… Back to the future… –– 2121stst Century solutionsCentury solutions
UU supply system
7 million people, 2.9 million households, 0.2 million businesses1900 ML/d (average) into supply, 4 resource zones
UU supply system
7 million people, 2.9 million households, 0.2 million businesses1900 ML/d average into supply, 4 resource zones2000 km of aqueducts/large diameter trunk mains £4.5 billion on drinking water improvements since privatisation
RegionalResources
Carlisle Resource Zone
North EdenResource Zone
West Cumbria Resource Zone
Integrated Resource Zone
Carlisle
Workington
Whitehaven
Penrith
Lancaster
BlackpoolPreston
Blackburn
Burnley
Southport
Wigan Bolton
Crewe
Macclesfield
Stockport
Manchester
Oldham
Rochdale
WarringtonLiverpoolBirkenhead
Oswestry
Barrow MorecambeBay
Carlisle Resource Zone
North EdenResource Zone
West Cumbria Resource Zone
Integrated Resource Zone
Carlisle
Workington
Whitehaven
Penrith
Lancaster
BlackpoolPreston
Blackburn
Burnley
Southport
Wigan Bolton
Crewe
Macclesfield
Stockport
Manchester
Oldham
Rochdale
WarringtonLiverpoolBirkenhead
Oswestry
Barrow MorecambeBay
Welcome to the NW of England Eden
Valley
Cheshire, Merseyside
Fylde LCUS
Wirral
Pennine sources
West Cumbria
GroundwaterResources
15% of totalsupply
What does groundwater abstraction look like?
Over 150 licensed sourcesImportant input to UU’s supply especially in IRZPeak DemandsLow risk – geology, high S, high T Apart from….Water qualityAMP3 – process solutions – “lets treat it” – financial issuesAMP4 – do we have to treat?
More NO3
Eden Valley, Cumbria
Eden Valley – conceptual model
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Eden Valley - Simplified radial flow model‘scavenger’ type multiwell system
Long record of abstraction
Why?
Integration…?
Large transfer systems70% of customers receive water via LDTM
Carlisle Resource Zone
North EdenResource Zone
West Cumbria Resource Zone
Integrated Resource Zone
Carlisle
Workington
Whitehaven
Penrith
Lancaster
BlackpoolPreston
Blackburn
Burnley
Southport
Wigan Bolton
Crewe
Macclesfield
Stockport
Manchester
Oldham
Rochdale
WarringtonLiverpoolBirkenhead
Oswestry
Barrow MorecambeBay
Carlisle Resource Zone
North EdenResource Zone
West Cumbria Resource Zone
Integrated Resource Zone
Carlisle
Workington
Whitehaven
Penrith
Lancaster
BlackpoolPreston
Blackburn
Burnley
Southport
Wigan Bolton
Crewe
Macclesfield
Stockport
Manchester
Oldham
Rochdale
WarringtonLiverpoolBirkenhead
Oswestry
Barrow MorecambeBay
A finite resource…?
186919671980
UU dWRMP aims
Water supply/demand forecasts over the period to 2035
To identify the best possible water resources and demand strategyTo adapt to meet the challenge of climate changeTo ensure that abstraction from our water resources is sustainableTo ensure our plans deliver the needs and priorities of our customers and other stakeholders
Key Challenges for dWRMP
Water Availability
Source Yield: 2024 ML/d (2007/08) to 1947 ML/d (2034/35)
Sustainability reductions (HD, RSA): –46 ML/d at 2014/15
Huge range in predictions (+130 to -516 ML/d)
Central estimate predicts -31ML/d by 2034/35
Total: 77 ML/d
Key Challenges for dWRMP
Supply/demand balance
Demand Metering, water efficiency, non-household
Leakage
Water source yield > dry weather demand
Why do anything?
Uncertainty (aka headroom) - what we can’t predict (national approach)
>200 ML/d by 2034/35
-41 ML/d (2014/15); -97 ML/d (2019/20) - IRZ
-89 ML/d (2024/25); -52 ML/d (2034/35) - IRZ
EnvEnv.. Cust.
Groundwater >50 ML/d “new water”Leakage reduction (24 ML/d)Water efficiency (5 ML/d)Metering (8% reduction)
Can groundwater meet this challenge?
3.712.317.417.519.720.421.423.726.627.231.233.533.634.538.243.047.853.355.556.2
65.172.377.883.1
93.3112.6115.2122.3123.6127.0
138.0253.1
288.9
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Free water efficient showerheads (1.89 Ml/d)Pressure Reduction Stage 1 (1.00 Ml/d)
Domestic self audits (1.65 Ml/d)Community audits (0.52 Ml/d)
Widnes Groundwater (19.00 Ml/d)Southport Groundwater (22.50 Ml/d)
Pressure Reduction Stage 2 (0.50 Ml/d)Leakage Detection Stage 1 (10.00 Ml/d)Huntington WTW Upgrade (35.00 Ml/d)
Leakage Detection Stage 2 (10.00 Ml/d)Warrington Groundwater (7.00 Ml/d)
Oldham Groundwater (2.50 Ml/d)Ribble Valley Groundwater (3.10 Ml/d)Leakage Detection Stage 3 (10.00 Ml/d)Raise Haweswater IR dam (22.40 Ml/d)
Raise Stocks IR dam (23.00 Ml/d)Leakage Detection Stage 4 (10.00 Ml/d)Mid-Cheshire Groundwater (5.00 Ml/d)
Mains Replacement Stage 1 (1.00 Ml/d)Domestic ‘visit and fix’ home audits (1.40 Ml/d)
Leakage Detection Stage 5 (10.00 Ml/d)Manchester Ship Canal (10.00 Ml/d)
Retrofit dual flush toilets (0.86 Ml/d)New reservoir at Borrowbeck (80.00 Ml/d)
Mains Replacement Stage 2 (1.00 Ml/d)River Ribble Abstraction (17.00 Ml/d)
Mains Replacement Stage 3 (1.00 Ml/d)Raw Water Transfer from Kielder Water (50.00 Ml/d)
Meter on change of occupancy (4.07 Ml/d)Meter high water users (1.25 Ml/d)
Pressure Reduction Stage 3 (0.30 Ml/d)Desalination from Mersey Estuary (20.00 Ml/d)
Meter non-households (0.88 Ml/d)Subsidised water butts (0.46 Ml/d)
Rainwater harvesting retrofit (0.10 Ml/d)
AISC (p/m3
AISC for theIntegrated Resource Zone
Is there enough water available?
1992
Is there enough water available?
1997
Is there enough water available?
2007
Certainty inyields?
1970’s
2000’s
Climate change effects?
Carlisle Resource Zone
North EdenResource Zone
West Cumbria Resource Zone
Integrated Resource Zone
Carlisle
Workington
Whitehaven
Penrith
Lancaster
BlackpoolPreston
Blackburn
Burnley
Southport
Wigan Bolton
Crewe
Macclesfield
Stockport
Manchester
Oldham
Rochdale
WarringtonLiverpoolBirkenhead
Oswestry
Barrow MorecambeBay
Carlisle Resource Zone
North EdenResource Zone
West Cumbria Resource Zone
Integrated Resource Zone
Carlisle
Workington
Whitehaven
Penrith
Lancaster
BlackpoolPreston
Blackburn
Burnley
Southport
Wigan Bolton
Crewe
Macclesfield
Stockport
Manchester
Oldham
Rochdale
WarringtonLiverpoolBirkenhead
Oswestry
Barrow MorecambeBay
New sources in AMP4
New GW sources in (AMP5/AMP6)
Rationalisation and development AMP5/AMP6
?
Back to the Future?...Implementing the WRMP
Detailed appraisal of optionsCombined strategy – demand reduction + enhancementsMagnitude of climate change scenariosRobust and reliable long-term solutionsGroundwater development – historical legacies – GWQWFD – uncertainty?Water resources managementSustainability, sustainability, sustainability!
Thank you for listening!