Every five years, each water company in England and Wales prepares an Asset Management Plan that sets out its proposed spending plans for the next five years. These plans are subject to guidance from Defra and Ofwat, who set the prices that each company can charge customers for the five-year period.
Wessex Water commissioned Cascade Consulting to investigate water quality and low flow conditions at river or reservoir sites where it is considered abstraction or discharges may be causing an unacceptable impact on water quality, flow or ecology. Cascade Consulting assisted in defining the scope of works required to improve understanding of phosphorus dynamics at seven catchments.
Through a set of individual desk reviews, a thorough review of historic data and previous investigations were assessed to give an insight into phosphorus dynamics and their adequacy evaluated through the use of a conceptual model. A proposed monitoring strategy was outlined and put forward as a recommendation and conclusions were drawn as to the effects of Wessex Water assets on phosphorus enrichment of the sites involved.