Water Cycle Strategy
Introduction
The 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 is currently undertaking 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 a Water Cycle Strategy for Cambridge:
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 two distinct stages to the development of a Water Cycle Strategy: 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.
Read Phase 1 of the Water Cycle Strategy for the major growth sites in and around Cambridge.
If you would like to find out more about Phase 2 of the Water Cycle Strategy click here to read a presentation focussing on the NorthWest sites.
The East Cambridgeshire and Fenland Water Cycle Scoping Study has now been published and can viewed here.
A stakeholder event to discuss the East Cambridgeshire and Fenland Water Cycle Scoping Study was held in June 2009. Notes from the meeting can be viewed here.