Pre-release materials 2026: Sustainable UK water and the South Lincs reservoir (AQA GCSE Geography): Revision Note

UK water use

• The average person in the UK uses about 140 litres of water a day (Gov.uk (opens in a new tab), 2025)

  • This is high compared to many other European countries

  • One third of this is wasted water

• People in the UK underestimate the amount of water they use

  • A 2023 survey found that, on average, people estimate they used 57 litres of water a day (Kingfisher, 2023)

  • Due to this underestimation, people will waste more water

• The government has now set targets to reduce the use of water from 140 litres to:

  • A 122 litres per person by 2038

  • A 110 litres per person by 2050

What do households use water for?

• Most water in UK households is used for toilets and personal washing (including showers and baths)

Making homes more water-efficient

• To reduce the average water use per person, the government and water companies are promoting water efficiency

• There are many ways in which people can improve the water efficiency of their houses

A sustainable water future for the UK

• There are many ways in which the government, the Environment Agency and water companies aim to meet the future water needs of the UK

Strategies to meet the UK's future water needs

• These strategies include:

  • Water recycling

  • Reducing pollution

  • Desalination

  • Reservoir construction

  • Public awareness

  • Reducing leaks

Water recycling

• This involves the treatment of water so that it can be safely reused

Greywater systems

• Greywater is the term used to describe domestic wastewater

• This can be used both inside and outside the home in any situation where drinking water quality is not required, including flushing the toilet, watering the garden, and cleaning a car

Reducing pollution

• The improvement of water quality to increase the amount of usable water

Desalination

• The removal of salt from seawater means that it can be used for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes

• Two new desalination schemes are planned in the UK

• Issues with desalination plants include that they:

  • Are expensive to set up and run

  • Use a lot of energy

Reservoir construction

• Ten new reservoirs are planned, and one reservoir enlargement

  • These will store water in periods of high rainfall

  • The water is then released when it is needed

• Nine water transfer schemes will then ensure that the water is transferred efficiently (Gov.uk, 2025)

Public awareness

• Educating the public about ways to reduce water waste and consumption

• This includes ensuring people are more aware of how much water they use

• Increased use of water meters so that people are charged for the water they use

Reducing leaks

• Approximately 20% of water is lost through leaks

  • Water companies aim to halve leaks by 2050

Key idea

• Reducing leaks, water recycling and conservation, and public awareness are all important strategies

  • However, they are not sufficient to meet the increasing demand

• Sustainable water supply in the UK will require large-scale projects such as reservoir construction and desalination

Proposal for the South Lincs reservoir

Why is the reservoir needed?

• One of the new reservoirs proposed for the UK is south-east of Sleaford in Lincolnshire, East England

• The region is one of the driest areas of the UK

  • Average annual precipitation is around 600mm

• Lincolnshire is also experiencing one of the highest levels of population growth

  • Population growth between 2011 and 2021 in East England was 8.3%

• An increase in population will lead to the construction of new homes

  • It is predicted that 175,000 new homes will be built between 2025 and 2030 in the region

Reservoirs

• A reservoir aims to store water

  • Water is stored during times of surplus when supply is high and demand is lower, usually in winter

  • Water can then be released when supply is low and demand is high, usually in summer

• There are currently ten proposed reservoirs in the UK, including:

  • Abingdon, Oxfordshire

  • South Lincs, Lincolnshire

  • North Suffolk, East Anglia

• The majority are located in the south and east of England

Advantages and disadvantages of reservoirs

South Lincs location

• The proposed reservoir will be located to the south-east of Sleaford in Lincolnshire

• The area is mainly agricultural land

• There are four settlements located around the proposed reservoir site:

  • Helpringham

  • Scredington

  • Swaton

  • Spanby

• The B1394 runs along the east of the proposed site and the A52 runs to the south of the site

  • This means that it is accessible for construction and for visitors once in place

• Rowe's Farm and Highgate Farm fall within the area which would be flooded

• Over 50 homes in total would be affected by the development

Why is it a suitable location for a reservoir?

• Topography

  • The land is gently sloped and low-lying

  • Most of the land is below 10 metres above sea level

  • It is not too flat, as that would increase the flood risk to the surrounding area

• Geology

  • The site is positioned on clay

  • Clay has low permeability, which makes it excellent for storing surface water

• Water sources

  • It is close to a range of water sources, which can be used to fill the reservoir in times of surplus

  • Water would be taken from the River Trent and the River Witham

• Geographical location

  • It is central in the Anglian Water region

• Impact on settlements

  • This location minimised the number of homes which would be affected

The South Lincs reservoir project

• The proposed reservoir would be constructed together with a water transfer scheme

• This would transfer water from the River Trent and River Witham to the reservoir to be stored until needed

• The water would then be treated at a new treatment works to the south of the reservoir

• The treated water would then be transferred to the Anglian Water supplies to the south at Wilsthorpe and Chesterton

  • These would supply local homes, industry and business

Key idea

• The reservoir is part of the wider water scheme planned by Anglian Water to provide over 500,000 homes with water

Benefits of the new reservoir

• The new reservoir will:

  • Store an estimated 55 billion cubic meters of water

  • Provide 166 million litres of water a day

  • Supply 500,000 homes with water

  • The reservoir itself will be 2.6km wide by 3.2km long

• The project will have a range of social, economic and environmental impacts

Social

• The reservoir project is multi-use, providing leisure activities for local people, including:

  • Watersports – sailing, windsurfing, etc.

  • New footpaths and cycle routes

  • Play areas

  • Camping sites

  • Fishing areas

• A visitor and education centre will provide facilities for local people and tourists

Economic

• The multi-use nature of the site means that it will attract lots of visitors

  • Boosting local economic growth

  • Supporting local businesses

Environmental

• Floating solar panels and wind turbines will generate renewable energy

• New habitats will be created for wildlife, including:

  • Woodlands

  • Wetlands

• Improved public transport

  • Aimed at reducing car use

Why is the reservoir project controversial?

• Despite the many benefits of the scheme, the South Lincs reservoir is controversial

• Some of the reasons for the controversy include:

  • Destruction of homes and livelihoods

    • Over 50 homes and working farms will be demolished

    • This will have a significant impact on those homeowners and farmers

  • Loss of agricultural land

    • The project would take 4,500 acres of productive farmland out of use

    • This affects food production

  • Environmental and landscape changes

    • The reservoir requires earth embankments that will change the landscape

    • The flooding of the land will lead to the loss of habitats

    • Steep embankments – up to 25 metres

  • Construction

    • The construction will take place over a 9- to 10-year period

    • This will lead to construction traffic on minor roads, noise and air pollution

  • Decrease in property values

    • The construction and uncertainty in the local area may reduce property values

  • Necessity of the project

    • Opponents argue that it would be better to have small-scale projects and focus on repairing leaks than investing in this large-scale project

Glossary