Water Cycle Strategy
Introduction
A Water Cycle Strategy is an opportunity for our partner organisations to work together to identify the water services infrastructure that is needed to support and enable sustainable development in the County. The strategy identifies what infrastructure is needed, when it is required, how much it will cost, and who should pay.
Cambridgeshire Horizons has worked with partners to complete two Water Cycle Strategies: for the growth sites in and around Cambridge, and for East Cambridgeshire and Fenland, to identify these requirements.
Who has been involved?
The most important aspect of a Water Cycle Strategy is dialogue. The following partners have worked with us to develop Water Cycle Strategies for Cambridge and East Cambridgeshire and Fenland:
What does a Water Cycle Strategy cover?
The overall objective of a Water Cycle Strategy is to provide a sustainable approach to the provision of water services infrastructure. The following topics have been covered as part of this process:
- Flood Risk Management: Identifying areas where development is likely to increase flood risk (both on-site and downstream) and to suggest necessary improvement measures
- Water Supply: Reviewing the existing water supply sources, and identifying any required upgrades to ensure adequate water provision for new developments.
- Drainage: Reviewing the underlying geology for growth sites to understand the possible SUDS (sustainable urban drainage systems) to help minimise the environmental impacts of growth.
- Waste Water: Understanding the current capacity of sewage works and the sewer network to identify whether any upgrades are required to accommodate new developments.
- Ecology: Identifying the impact of growth relating to water quality, nature conservation areas and protected species, then suggesting possible mitigation measures where required.
- Sustainable Infrastructure: Suggesting how water services infrastructure can contribute to sustainable development in terms of increased water efficiency and reduced water consumption in new developments.
Project Structure
There are three distinct stages to the development of a Water Cycle Strategy: A scoping report is carried out first to get an initial feel for local water services infrastructure requirements. Phase 1 looks at issues across the whole study area, identifying any major constraints to growth. Phase 2 looks at detailed infrastructure requirements for specific growth sites, providing the solutions to the constraints identified in the Phase 1 report.
Major growth sites in and around Cambridge Water Cycle Strategy
You can download the documents listed below:
East Cambridgeshire and Fenland Water Cycle Strategy
You can download the documents listed below: