Desalination in the United Kingdom

The first desalination plant in the United Kingdom, the Thames Water Desalination Plant, [ [http://www.water-technology.net/projects/water-desalination/ Thames Water Desalination Plant: water-technology.net] ] is to be built in Beckton, East London and is expected to be completed by 2009. The facility is expected to cost £200m and will draw its water supply from the Thames estuary. According to Thames Water Utilities Ltd., the UK's largest water and wastewater services company, [ [http://www.thameswater.co.uk/UK/region/en_gb/content/Section_Homepages/Section_Homepage_000485.jsp?SECT=Section_Homepage_000485 Thames Water Utilities - About us - At a glance ] ] the plant could supply "140 million litres of water a day, enough to supply 400,000 homes in north-east London." [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/6904722.stm "UK gets first desalination plant"] , BBC News, July 18, 2007.]

Criticism of the plant

Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone criticised the plant in 2007, calling it a "misguided and a retrograde step in UK environmental policy." Livingstone, arguing that the plant was expensive and unnecessary, said that Thames Water should instead focus on reducing waste caused by leakage and that people should be encouraged "to use less water, not more." [ [http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=12433 "Mayor critical of government plans to approve desalination plant"] , Greater London Authority press release, June 15, 2007.]

References