South West Water is hosting five public information events this month to discuss its proposals for a desalination plant in Cornwall with local residents as part of its plans for improving water resilience across the region.

In May, South West Water announced plans to deliver its desalination scheme in two phases, as part of its investment in long-term water resilience across the region.

The first phase, focusing on the pressing need to secure climate-resilient water supplies, consists of delivering a smaller desalination plant. This will be made up of approximately five shipping container sized units and will use existing infrastructure to avoid any impact to the marine environment, including seagrass and maerl.

The plant will be capable of producing between 2.5 and 5 million litres of clean drinking water daily when needed, and will allow the water company more time to develop its application for a larger desalination plant.

South West Water previously met with locals in December 2023 to discuss its proposals for desalination, and is now holding three in-person public information events and two online sessions ahead of submitting a planning application for the phase one plant later this summer.

The in-person events will be held in Par (15 July), Lostwithiel (17 July) and St Blazey (18 July), with two online sessions taking place later this month (23 and 25 July). Each event is designed to help South West Water develop its project with the community and local customers in mind, addressing concerns and taking on board feedback where possible.

David Harris, South West Water’s Drought and Resilience Director, said: “Desalination is one part of our wider £125 million investment plan to increase the water resources available in Cornwall by 45% and in Devon by 30% by 2025 to break the cycle of drought.

“Regulators are encouraging water companies to develop supplies that are resilient to the impacts of climate change, and desalination allows us to protect supplies across our region in the face of a changing climate in ways that more common interventions cannot.

“We share the passion that many locals have shown to protect the sensitive marine environment in St Austell Bay and this month’s events will provide us with an opportunity to continue demonstrating that we are doing everything we can to minimise any impact we have to marine habitats.”

As part of South West Water’s wider investment plan it is also repurposing disused quarries such as Blackpool Pit and Hawks Tor, finding and fixing more leaks than ever before and supporting customers and visitors to the region in reducing water use through its Water is Precious campaign.

The five public events will be held at:
• Monday 15 July – Cornubia Lower Hall, Par, PL24 2AQ – 4pm to 7pm
• Wednesday 17 July – Church Rooms, Lostwithiel, PL22 0BH – 4pm to 7pm
• Thursday 18 July - Alexander Hall, St Blazey, PL24 2JH – 6.30pm to 9pm
• Tuesday 23 July – Virtual webinar session – 6pm to 7.30pm
• Thursday 25 July – Virtual webinar session – 6pm to 7.30pm

To find out how to register to attend an event, or for more information on South West Water’s desalination proposals, visit www.southwestwater.co.uk/desalination