Here you will learn about the adaptation approaches that can be used to reduce the impacts expected from climate change by the 2050s on the utilities sector.

This includes the following topics:

• Water supply;
• Waste water;
• Electricity;
• Gas;
• Telecommunications; and
• Other.

The information is reported at Regional and Sub-regional scales, as well as at Local Detail.

The review of the summer floods has highlighted the scale of impacts that can come from the loss of utilities.  The Pitt Review that is currently being undertaken into these floods, with the interim report only available at the time of producing this report.  However, some important findings and interim conclusions provide important suggestions for adaptation. 

Currently infrastructure suppliers are placed under very few obligations by the civil contingencies act, though thay have to co-operate with Category 1 responders (e.g. emergency services and local authorities) and assist them. Infrastructure providers are required to attend Local Resilience Forum meetings so far as practicable, and to share information with requesting responders (subject to exemptions on the grounds of security and commercial sensitivities). There are no particular obligations on Category 2 responders about their role in planning for emergencies.

The location of critical sites could be undertaken for example, by assessing the proximity of assets to the floodplain through the assessment of the Environment Agency’s Flood Maps (this has been covered in greater detail in the flooding section of this report).  The vulnerability and criticality of assets also needs to be determined and aspects such as redundancy and support need to be assessed, a “what if?” attitude needs to taken.  For instance to flooding which was highlighted as probably the major threat, a reduction in the threat to flooding may be achievable through the following:

• Relocation of the asset
• Increased level of protection from defences
• Increased resilience

Relocation would obviously be the preferable choice but may not be an option due to cost or need to remain in current location and in these cases flood defences or other adaptation measures may need to undertaken.

Flood defences only offer protection to a certain level, beyond which inundation will still occur, and this is the same for the protection of assets against other climate impacts and to prevent any impact if this does occur all utility providers should undertake Business Continuity Planning.  This is a process developed to counteract systems failure and is essential to all business regardless of size.  Ensuring that here is an effective business continuity plan in place is an invaluable step that can be taken to make sure that the services that infrastructure operators deliver are maintained for as long as possible or that, if they are lost, there is sufficient contingency in place and that the service is recovered as quickly as possible.  One of the recommendations of the interim Pitt Review is that a duty should be placed on all utility suppliers to produce business continuity plans to the recently published British Standard level (BS 25 999).

This would need to be done in conjunction with indentifying critical infrastructure; the Pitt Review’s Interim Report has identified that many emergency responders have inadequate understanding of:

• The location of critical sites
• The mapping of their vulnerability to flooding
• The consequences of their loss
• Their dependence on other critical infrastructure.

The major adaptation recommendation at a regional level is that utility suppliers need to investigate their critical infrastructure and the vulnerability of these critical assets.  This will need to be a detailed assessment done on a location by location basis and is far beyond the scope of this study.  Cooperation between suppliers is the only way that this can be dome effectively as the failure of one utility could be the major cause of impact to another; without cooperation utility suppliers will not understand the criticality of each others network and this interdependence.   

Cooperation will also result in more resilient business continuity plans, and following the identification of critical infrastructure through this partnership approach, information on critical infrastructure and the associated business continuity plans need to be shared with the Category 1 providers and those that mange emergency plans.

 

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| Northumberland | Tyne & Wear | County Durham | Tees Valley |

 

Water Supply
The amount of water resource available within the North East region means that adaptation measures to preserve resources are not of major importance at the current time and are not expected to be so by the 2050s across the vast majority of Northumberland.  The area which is of primary concern is the risk posed by the Berwick Supply Zone due to its lack of support from the Kielder Reservoir.  The first stage adaptation would be the long term monitoring of the boreholes and key aquifers in this region to highlight any long-term trend either in abstraction rates or aquifer levels and therefore identify the need for investment in such a scheme.  Presently, initial investigations could be undertaken into connecting this area with the Kielder supply zone to identify the most economical method by which this could occur.

In addition, it would still be good practise to minimise potable water usage to ensure that the available resource are best utilised as the entire sub-region and not just the Berwick Supply Zone.  Continued work by Northumbrian Water in line with OFWAT guidelines to reduce leakage from the distribution mains is a major step in ensuring the security of reliable water supply. 

In addition to this, advances in domestic technology are enabling further reductions in water resource usage.  Modern toilets are being manufactured with less flush volume or a dual flush function and cistern displacement devices have been distributed to large numbers of people throughout the sub-region.  Modern washing machines use less water and some modern dishwashers can even provide water savings when compared with hand washing.  As older models in homes are replaced then a higher percentage of the catchment will be using these more efficient modes.  Grey water re-use in new properties is also an example of a water saving technique that could be incorporated in new office and private dwellings, and the requirement of such techniques by the planning process would probably be the best way of ensuring techniques were incorporated into new builds.

The increased demand that is likely to be placed on the water distribution system will have to be closely monitored for trends as the climate of the catchment changes.  Any areas that are noted as being potential problems should be further investigated to see if the current distribution system could be better utilised or the mains need enlarging.  Enlarging of the mains may not be the solution and some investigations of the various alternative options should be undertaken.

Where areas of poor connectivity are known to exist, efforts should be made to increase performance to ensure resilience in the water distribution system.  Examples of this are the link main at Haggerston Castle and in this instance Northumbrian Water is investigating means to improve their system.  Only Northumbrian Water fully understands the vulnerability of its network and it is hoped that such areas will be identified and  potential solutions identified (if not already undertaken) by the implementation of business continuity plans, which the government is keen to see become mandatory to utility suppliers.

Dams
As part of the Reservoirs Act 1975, as amended by the Water Act 2003, the reservoir undertaker is responsible to ensure the safety of any reservoir with a capacity of at least 25,000 cumecs above natural ground level. Since October 2004, the enforcement authority for England and Wales has been the Environment Agency previously the responsibility of 136 local authorities).

In its biennial report to the end of March 2007, the Environment Agency considers that a more risk-based approach to dams and reservoirs of all sizes and for all purposes should be implemented. The Review considers that the events of summer 2007 and especially the incident involving the Ulley Dam confirm the soundness of the Agency’s view that the scope of the Reservoirs Act should be reviewed accordingly.

An interim conclusion of the Pitt  Review is:

“all reservoir undertakers should be required by Defra to prepare inundation maps and share them with Local Resilience Forums to improve Community Risk Registers and emergency planning.”

These inundation maps would identify areas at risk from a dam failure and allow evacuation procedures for each reservoir to be drawn up by emergency planners to implement in the event of am emergency.

Waster Water
New drainage schemes and improvements will typically incorporate some consideration for climate changes based on current best practise guidance.  Existing systems, however, are generally managed in a more reactive sense, although Drainage Area Plans produced by the Water companies should identify areas most likely to be at risk.

The key action that could be taken would be to assess all systems likely to affect large numbers of people based on local climate changes, rather than general guidance values, to determine future areas at risk.  In addition, the following gives examples of adaptation measures could be considered to reduce future risk (these adaptation measures are covered in greater detail in the Flooding Section of this study):

• Strategically plan and implement system improvements across the network, although increased pipe sizes across the entire network would clearly be impractical and investment would be better focussed on areas of greatest risk.  The cost associated with the removal of an existing pipe and replacing with a 750mm diameter pipe would be in the region of £200 per metre, with the cost of replacing a manhole in the region of £4,000 to £6,000, although these costs may be exceeded depending on ground conditions, access and location.
• Promote the increased investment into the wider application of source control techniques to attenuate flow volumes higher in the system and reduce downstream impacts.  This would also have the added benefit of reducing peak flood flows in problem watercourses.

Treatments may need to be made to the biological filter treatment of effluent and changes may need to be made to accommodate the increased activity of the activated sludge process. 

In addition a major risk is the increased risk of flooding to waste water treatment works due to their general location close to rivers and the sea.  This risk was highlighted with over 300 works affected during the 2007 summer floods with the works becoming in operable during inundation, which would affect the process but also prevent the use of electrical systems.  Risk to the works may also be from the associated reliance on the electricity system and a partnership approach to vulnerability assessment should be undertaken to identify vulnerable works.

Finally, waste water treatment works may need an increase in capacity to deal with increased flows to the works from combined sewer systems that are prevalent in areas of older sewerage systems, especially in the urban areas, during periods of increased rainfall especially the projected increase in summer storms. 

Network Pumping Stations
Pumping stations are primarily at risk from three things:

• Flooding
• Coastal Erosion
• Failure of other utility supplier e.g. electricity

The adaptation techniques associated with all these threats are dealt with in greater detail elsewhere in this study, primarily in the Flooding and Coastal Erosion sections of this study.  The dependency of pump stations on other utility suppliers can only be addressed by greater cooperation between utility suppliers as covered on the regional reporting page of this section.  Joint assessment of utility systems will allow the connectivity to identify critical infrastructure that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Sea Outfalls
Sea level rise is likely to effect the operation of long sea outfalls and other smaller outfalls with flap valves or similar.  Further assessments should be undertaken of all the long sea outfalls to identify the exact impacts of each outfall based on site specific considerations, which are beyond the scope of this desk based study.  Sea level rise will definitely need to be strongly considered in any future long sea outfall designs.

Electricity Distribution
Due to the uncertainties associated with predictions with wind and also the general minimal change that has been projected by the 2050s, adaptation is deemed not of major concern at this time and maintenance regimes are expected to be similar to the current ones.  However, the long-term recording of wind speeds or a damage log could identify any trends in a weather parameter that is notoriously hard to project.  It could be the increased rainfall and higher temperatures may increase the incidence of corrosion problems and this could be identified by a damage log, if not already in use.

The greatest risk to electricity distribution is from flooding and increased care and attention may need to be given to protection of current assets, such as sub-stations.  Greater detail on the method of adaptation to the threat of flooding to such critical resources is given in the regional utilities page and also in the flooding section of this study.

Wind Power
As little change in the future wind climate has been projected when compared to current levels it is expected that there will not be a major change in the operability of existing and future sites over the time window of this study.

Infrastructure Subsidence
All newly laid pipes should be of a design that allows some small differential settlement, for example PVC pipes.  Pipework reparation or replacement is the preferred solution over the time frame of this study due to the associated high costs of speculative re-routing. 

TV & Radio Transmitter
The structural capacity and maintenance condition of structures should be checked as part of ongoing programmes and maintenance continued.  A maintenance log, if not already in place, or a wider review of maintenance reports may allow trends to be identified either geographically or with apparatus types.

 

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Water Supply
The amount of water resource available within the North East region means that adaptation measures to preserve resources are not of major importance at the current time and are not expected to be so by the 2050s across the vast majority of Tyne and Wear.  In fact Tyne and Wear does have reasonably good redundancy with regard to water supply.

However, it would still be good practise to minimise potable water usage to ensure that the available resource are best utilised as the entire sub-region and not just the Berwick Supply Zone.  Continued work by Northumbrian Water in line with OFWAT guidelines to reduce leakage from the distribution mains is a major step in ensuring the security of reliable water supply. 

In addition to this, advances in domestic technology are enabling further reductions in water resource usage.  Modern toilets are being manufactured with less flush volume or a dual flush function and cistern displacement devices have been distributed to large numbers of people throughout the sub-region.  Modern washing machines use less water and some modern dishwashers can even provide water savings when compared with hand washing.  As older models in homes are replaced then a higher percentage of the catchment will be using these more efficient modes.  Grey water re-use in new properties is also an example of a water saving technique that could be incorporated in new office and private dwellings, and the requirement of such techniques by the planning process would probably be the best way of ensuring techniques were incorporated into new builds.

The increased demand that is likely to be placed on the water distribution system will have to be closely monitored for trends as the climate of the catchment changes.  Any areas that are noted as being potential problems should be further investigated to see if the current distribution system could be better utilised or the mains need enlarging.  Enlarging of the mains may not be the solution and some investigations of the various alternative options should be undertaken.

Where areas of poor connectivity are known to exist, efforts should be made to increase performance to ensure resilience in the water distribution system.  Only Northumbrian Water fully understands the vulnerability of its network and it is hoped that such areas will be identified and  potential solutions identified (if not already undertaken) by the implementation of business continuity plans, which the government is keen to see become mandatory to utility suppliers.

Dams
As part of the Reservoirs Act 1975, as amended by the Water Act 2003, the reservoir undertaker is responsible to ensure the safety of any reservoir with a capacity of at least 25,000 cumecs above natural ground level. Since October 2004, the enforcement authority for England and Wales has been the Environment Agency previously the responsibility of 136 local authorities).

In its biennial report to the end of March 2007, the Environment Agency considers that a
more risk-based approach to dams and reservoirs of all sizes and for all purposes should be implemented. The Review considers that the events of summer 2007, and especially the incident involving the Ulley Dam confirm the soundness of the Agency’s view that the scope of the Reservoirs Act should be reviewed accordingly.

An interim conclusion of the Pitt Review is:

“all reservoir undertakers should be required by Defra to prepare inundation maps and share them with Local Resilience Forums to improve Community Risk Registers and emergency planning.”

These inundation maps would identify areas at risk from a dam failure and allow evacuation procedures for each reservoir to be drawn up by emergency planners to implement in the event of am emergency.

Waster Water
New drainage schemes and improvements will typically incorporate some consideration for climate changes based on current best practise guidance.  Existing systems, however, are generally managed in a more reactive sense, although Drainage Area Plans produced by the Water companies should identify areas most likely to be at risk.

The key action that could be taken would be to assess all systems likely to affect large numbers of people based on local climate changes, rather than general guidance values, to determine future areas at risk.  In addition, the following gives examples of adaptation measures could be considered to reduce future risk (these adaptation measures are covered in greater detail in the Flooding Section of this study):

• Strategically plan and implement system improvements across the network, although increased pipe sizes across the entire network would clearly be impractical and investment would be better focussed on areas of greatest risk.  The cost associated with the removal of an existing pipe and replacing with a 750mm diameter pipe would be in the region of £200 per metre, with the cost of replacing a manhole in the region of £4,000 to £6,000, although these costs may be exceeded depending on ground conditions, access and location.
• Promote the increased investment into the wider application of source control techniques to attenuate flow volumes higher in the system and reduce downstream impacts.  This would also have the added benefit of reducing peak flood flows in problem watercourses.

Treatments may need to be made to the biological filter treatment of effluent and changes may need to be made to accommodate the increased activity of the activated sludge process. 

In addition a major risk is the increased risk of flooding to waste water treatment works due to their general location close to rivers and the sea.  This risk was highlighted with over 300 works affected during the 2007 summer floods with the works becoming in operable during inundation, which would affect the process but also prevent the use of electrical systems.  Risk to the works may also be from the associated reliance on the electricity system and a partnership approach to vulnerability assessment should be undertaken to identify vulnerable works.

Finally, waste water treatment works may need an increase in capacity to deal with increased flows to the works from combined sewer systems that are prevalent in areas of older sewerage systems, especially in the urban areas, during periods of increased rainfall especially the projected increase in summer storms. 

Network Pumping Stations
Pumping stations are primarily at risk from three things:

• Flooding
• Coastal Erosion
• Failure of other utility supplier e.g. electricity

The adaptation techniques associated with all these threats are dealt with in greater detail elsewhere in this study, primarily in the Flooding and Coastal Erosion sections of this study.  The dependency of pump stations on other utility suppliers can only be addressed by greater cooperation between utility suppliers as covered on the regional reporting page of this section.  Joint assessment of utility systems will allow the connectivity to identify critical infrastructure that may otherwise go unnoticed.

The Hendon waste water treatment works is likely to need an assessment of its coastal defence structure by the 2050s to assess the level of protection it offers when sea level rise is taken into account.  It may be that the seas level rise projections used during its design are underestimated when compared to current guidance and following such a study then the need for the heightening the crest of the structure may be identified.  Alternatively, modifications to the works may prove more economical to prevent the impact of any wave overtopping.

Sea Outfalls
Sea level rise is likely to effect the operation of long sea outfalls and other smaller outfalls with flap valves or similar.  Further assessments should be undertaken of all the long sea outfalls to identify the exact impacts of each outfall based on site specific considerations, which are beyond the scope of this desk based study.  Sea level rise will definitely need to be strongly considered in any future long sea outfall designs.

Electricity Distribution
Due to the uncertainties associated with predictions with wind and also the general minimal change that has been projected by the 2050s, adaptation is deemed not of major concern at this time and maintenance regimes are expected to be similar to the current ones.  However, the long-term recording of wind speeds or a damage log could identify any trends in a weather parameter that is notoriously hard to project.  It could be the increased rainfall and higher temperatures may increase the incidence of corrosion problems and this could be identified by a damage log, if not already in use.

The greatest risk to electricity distribution is from flooding and increased care and attention may need to be given to protection of current assets, such as sub-stations.  Greater detail on the method of adaptation to the threat of flooding to such critical resources is given in the regional utilities page and also in the flooding section of this study.

Wind Power
As little change in the future wind climate has been projected when compared to current levels it is expected that there will not be a major change in the operability of existing and future sites over the time window of this study.

Infrastructure Subsidence
All newly laid pipes should be of a design that allows some small differential settlement, for example PVC pipes.  Pipework reparation or replacement is the preferred solution over the time frame of this study due to the associated high costs of speculative re-routing. 

TV & Radio Transmitter
The structural capacity and maintenance condition of structures should be checked as part of ongoing programmes and maintenance continued.  A maintenance log, if not already in place, or a wider review of maintenance reports may allow trends to be identified either geographically or with apparatus types.

 

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Water Supply
The amount of water resource available within the North East region means that adaptation measures to preserve resources are not of major importance at the current time and are not expected to be so by the 2050s across the vast majority of Northumberland.  Current concerns have been identified about the vulnerability of supply into South Durham and presently, initial investigations are being undertaken into connecting this area with the Southern Supply Zone to identify the most economical method by which this could occur.

In addition, it would still be good practise to minimise potable water usage to ensure that the available resource are best utilised across the entire sub-region.  Continued work by Northumbrian Water in line with OFWAT guidelines to reduce leakage from the distribution mains is a major step in ensuring the security of reliable water supply. 

In addition to this, advances in domestic technology are enabling further reductions in water resource usage.  Modern toilets are being manufactured with less flush volume or a dual flush function and cistern displacement devices have been distributed to large numbers of people throughout the sub-region.  Modern washing machines use less water and some modern dishwashers can even provide water savings when compared with hand washing.  As older models in homes are replaced then a higher percentage of the catchment will be using these more efficient modes.  Grey water re-use in new properties is also an example of a water saving technique that could be incorporated in new office and private dwellings, and the requirement of such techniques by the planning process would probably be the best way of ensuring techniques were incorporated into new builds.

The increased demand that is likely to be placed on the water distribution system will have to be closely monitored for trends as the climate of the catchment changes.  Any areas that are noted as being potential problems should be further investigated to see if the current distribution system could be better utilised or the mains need enlarging.  Enlarging of the mains may not be the solution and some investigations of the various alternative options should be undertaken.

Where areas of poor connectivity are known to exist, efforts should be made to increase performance to ensure resilience in the water distribution system, such as at South Durham.  Only Northumbrian Water fully understands the vulnerability of its network and it is hoped that such areas will be identified and  potential solutions identified (if not already undertaken) by the implementation of business continuity plans, which the government is keen to see become mandatory to utility suppliers.

 

Dams
As part of the Reservoirs Act 1975, as amended by the Water Act 2003, the reservoir undertaker is responsible to ensure the safety of any reservoir with a capacity of at least 25,000 cumecs above natural ground level. Since October 2004, the enforcement authority for England and Wales has been the Environment Agency previously the responsibility of 136 local authorities).

In its biennial report to the end of March 2007, the Environment Agency considers that a
more risk-based approach to dams and reservoirs of all sizes and for all purposes should be implemented. The Review considers that the events of summer 2007 and especially the incident involving the Ulley Dam confirm the soundness of the Agency’s view that the scope of the Reservoirs Act should be reviewed accordingly.

An interim conclusion of the Pitt Review is:

“all reservoir undertakers should be required by Defra to prepare inundation maps and share them with Local Resilience Forums to improve Community Risk Registers and emergency planning.”

These inundation maps would identify areas at risk from a dam failure and allow evacuation procedures for each reservoir to be drawn up by emergency planners to implement in the event of am emergency.

Waster Water
New drainage schemes and improvements will typically incorporate some consideration for climate changes based on current best practise guidance.  Existing systems, however, are generally managed in a more reactive sense, although Drainage Area Plans produced by the Water companies should identify areas most likely to be at risk.

The key action that could be taken would be to assess all systems likely to affect large numbers of people based on local climate changes, rather than general guidance values, to determine future areas at risk.  In addition, the following gives examples of adaptation measures could be considered to reduce future risk (these adaptation measures are covered in greater detail in the Flooding Section of this study):

• Strategically plan and implement system improvements across the network, although increased pipe sizes across the entire network would clearly be impractical and investment would be better focussed on areas of greatest risk.  The cost associated with the removal of an existing pipe and replacing with a 750mm diameter pipe would be in the region of £200 per metre, with the cost of replacing a manhole in the region of £4,000 to £6,000, although these costs may be exceeded depending on ground conditions, access and location.
• Promote the increased investment into the wider application of source control techniques to attenuate flow volumes higher in the system and reduce downstream impacts.  This would also have the added benefit of reducing peak flood flows in problem watercourses.

Treatments may need to be made to the biological filter treatment of effluent and changes may need to be made to accommodate the increased activity of the activated sludge process. 

In addition a major risk is the increased risk of flooding to waste water treatment works due to their general location close to rivers and the sea.  This risk was highlighted with over 300 works affected during the 2007 summer floods with the works becoming in operable during inundation, which would affect the process but also prevent the use of electrical systems.  Risk to the works may also be from the associated reliance on the electricity system and a partnership approach to vulnerability assessment should be undertaken to identify vulnerable works.

Finally, waste water treatment works may need an increase in capacity to deal with increased flows to the works from combined sewer systems that are prevalent in areas of older sewerage systems, especially in the urban areas, during periods of increased rainfall especially the projected increase in summer storms. 

Network Pumping Stations
Pumping stations are primarily at risk from three things:

• Flooding
• Coastal Erosion
• Failure of other utility supplier e.g. electricity

The adaptation techniques associated with all these threats are dealt with in greater detail elsewhere in this study, primarily in the Flooding and Coastal Erosion sections of this study.  The dependency of pump stations on other utility suppliers can only be addressed by greater cooperation between utility suppliers as covered on the regional reporting page of this section.  Joint assessment of utility systems will allow the connectivity to identify critical infrastructure that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Sea Outfalls
Sea level rise is likely to effect the operation of long sea outfalls and other smaller outfalls with flap valves or similar.  Further assessments should be undertaken of all the long sea outfalls to identify the exact impacts of each outfall based on site specific considerations, which are beyond the scope of this desk based study.  Sea level rise will definitely need to be strongly considered in any future long sea outfall designs.

Electricity Distribution
Due to the uncertainties associated with predictions with wind and also the general minimal change that has been projected by the 2050s, adaptation is deemed not of major concern at this time and maintenance regimes are expected to be similar to the current ones.  However, the long-term recording of wind speeds or a damage log could identify any trends in a weather parameter that is notoriously hard to project.  It could be the increased rainfall and higher temperatures may increase the incidence of corrosion problems and this could be identified by a damage log, if not already in use.

The greatest risk to electricity distribution is from flooding and increased care and attention may need to be given to protection of current assets, such as sub-stations.  Greater detail on the method of adaptation to the threat of flooding to such critical resources is given in the regional utilities page and also in the flooding section of this study.

Wind Power
As little change in the future wind climate has been projected when compared to current levels it is expected that there will not be a major change in the operability of existing and future sites over the time window of this study.

Infrastructure Subsidence
All newly laid pipes should be of a design that allows some small differential settlement, for example PVC pipes.  Pipework reparation or replacement is the preferred solution over the time frame of this study due to the associated high costs of speculative re-routing. 

TV & Radio Transmitter
The structural capacity and maintenance condition of structures should be checked as part of ongoing programmes and maintenance continued.  A maintenance log, if not already in place, or a wider review of maintenance reports may allow trends to be identified either geographically or with apparatus types.

 

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Water Supply
The amount of water resource available within the North East region means that adaptation measures to preserve resources are not of major importance at the current time and are not expected to be so by the 2050s across the vast majority of Northumberland.  The area which is of primary concern is the risk of the area supplied by Hartlepool Water.  The first stage adaptation would be the long term monitoring of the boreholes and key aquifers in this region to highlight any long-term trend either in abstraction rates or aquifer levels and therefore identify the need for investment in such a scheme.  An obvious solution could be connecting this area with the Kielder supply zone though discussions between Hartlepool Water (Anglian Water) and Northumbrian Water would need to be entered into.  The available resource within Northumbrian Water’s system means sufficient volumes of water are available to supply this extra area.

In addition, it would still be good practise to minimise potable water usage to ensure that the available resource are best utilised as the entire sub-region and not just the area supplied by Hartlepool Water.  Continued work by Northumbrian Water in line with OFWAT guidelines to reduce leakage from the distribution mains is a major step in ensuring the security of reliable water supply. 

In addition to this, advances in domestic technology are enabling further reductions in water resource usage.  Modern toilets are being manufactured with less flush volume or a dual flush function and cistern displacement devices have been distributed to large numbers of people throughout the sub-region.  Modern washing machines use less water and some modern dishwashers can even provide water savings when compared with hand washing.  As older models in homes are replaced then a higher percentage of the catchment will be using these more efficient modes.  Grey water re-use in new properties is also an example of a water saving technique that could be incorporated in new office and private dwellings, and the requirement of such techniques by the planning process would probably be the best way of ensuring techniques were incorporated into new builds.

The increased demand that is likely to be placed on the water distribution system will have to be closely monitored for trends as the climate of the catchment changes.  Any areas that are noted as being potential problems should be further investigated to see if the current distribution system could be better utilised or the mains need enlarging.  Enlarging of the mains may not be the solution and some investigations of the various alternative options should be undertaken.

Where areas of poor connectivity are known to exist, efforts should be made to increase performance to ensure resilience in the water distribution system.  Only Northumbrian Water fully understands the vulnerability of its network and it is hoped that such areas will be identified and  potential solutions identified (if not already undertaken) by the implementation of business continuity plans, which the government is keen to see become mandatory to utility suppliers.

Dams
As part of the Reservoirs Act 1975, as amended by the Water Act 2003, the reservoir undertaker is responsible to ensure the safety of any reservoir with a capacity of at least 25,000 cumecs above natural ground level. Since October 2004, the enforcement authority for England and Wales has been the Environment Agency previously the responsibility of 136 local authorities).

In its biennial report to the end of March 2007, the Environment Agency considers that a
more risk-based approach to dams and reservoirs of all sizes and for all purposes should be implemented. The Review considers that the events of summer 2007 and especially the incident involving the Ulley Dam confirm the soundness of the Agency’s view that the scope of the Reservoirs Act should be reviewed accordingly.

An interim conclusion of the Pitt Review is:

“all reservoir undertakers should be required by Defra to prepare inundation maps and share them with Local Resilience Forums to improve Community Risk Registers and emergency planning.”

These inundation maps would identify areas at risk from a dam failure and allow evacuation procedures for each reservoir to be drawn up by emergency planners to implement in the event of am emergency.

Waster Water
New drainage schemes and improvements will typically incorporate some consideration for climate changes based on current best practise guidance.  Existing systems, however, are generally managed in a more reactive sense, although Drainage Area Plans produced by the Water companies should identify areas most likely to be at risk.

The key action that could be taken would be to assess all systems likely to affect large numbers of people based on local climate changes, rather than general guidance values, to determine future areas at risk.  In addition, the following gives examples of adaptation measures could be considered to reduce future risk (these adaptation measures are covered in greater detail in the Flooding Section of this study):

• Strategically plan and implement system improvements across the network, although increased pipe sizes across the entire network would clearly be impractical and investment would be better focussed on areas of greatest risk.  The cost associated with the removal of an existing pipe and replacing with a 750mm diameter pipe would be in the region of £200 per metre, with the cost of replacing a manhole in the region of £4,000 to £6,000, although these costs may be exceeded depending on ground conditions, access and location.
• Promote the increased investment into the wider application of source control techniques to attenuate flow volumes higher in the system and reduce downstream impacts.  This would also have the added benefit of reducing peak flood flows in problem watercourses.

Treatments may need to be made to the biological filter treatment of effluent and changes may need to be made to accommodate the increased activity of the activated sludge process. 

In addition a major risk is the increased risk of flooding to waste water treatment works due to their general location close to rivers and the sea.  This risk was highlighted with over 300 works affected during the 2007 summer floods with the works becoming in operable during inundation, which would affect the process but also prevent the use of electrical systems.  Risk to the works may also be from the associated reliance on the electricity system and a partnership approach to vulnerability assessment should be undertaken to identify vulnerable works.

Finally, waste water treatment works may need an increase in capacity to deal with increased flows to the works from combined sewer systems that are prevalent in areas of older sewerage systems, especially in the urban areas, during periods of increased rainfall especially the projected increase in summer storms.  

Network Pumping Stations
Pumping stations are primarily at risk from three things:

• Flooding
• Coastal Erosion
• Failure of other utility supplier e.g. electricity

The adaptation techniques associated with all these threats are dealt with in greater detail elsewhere in this study, primarily in the Flooding and Coastal Erosion sections of this study.  The dependency of pump stations on other utility suppliers can only be addressed by greater cooperation between utility suppliers as covered on the regional reporting page of this section.  Joint assessment of utility systems will allow the connectivity to identify critical infrastructure that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Sea Outfalls
Sea level rise is likely to effect the operation of long sea outfalls and other smaller outfalls with flap valves or similar.  Further assessments should be undertaken of all the long sea outfalls to identify the exact impacts of each outfall based on site specific considerations, which are beyond the scope of this desk based study.  Sea level rise will definitely need to be strongly considered in any future long sea outfall designs.

Electricity Distribution
Due to the uncertainties associated with predictions with wind and also the general minimal change that has been projected by the 2050s, adaptation is deemed not of major concern at this time and maintenance regimes are expected to be similar to the current ones.  However, the long-term recording of wind speeds or a damage log could identify any trends in a weather parameter that is notoriously hard to project.  It could be the increased rainfall and higher temperatures may increase the incidence of corrosion problems and this could be identified by a damage log, if not already in use.

The greatest risk to electricity distribution is from flooding and increased care and attention may need to be given to protection of current assets, such as sub-stations.  Greater detail on the method of adaptation to the threat of flooding to such critical resources is given in the regional utilities page and also in the flooding section of this study.

Wind Power
As little change in the future wind climate has been projected when compared to current levels it is expected that there will not be a major change in the operability of existing and future sites over the time window of this study.

Infrastructure Subsidence
All newly laid pipes should be of a design that allows some small differential settlement, for example PVC pipes.  Pipework reparation or replacement is the preferred solution over the time frame of this study due to the associated high costs of speculative re-routing. 

TV & Radio Transmitter
The structural capacity and maintenance condition of structures should be checked as part of ongoing programmes and maintenance continued.  A maintenance log, if not already in place, or a wider review of maintenance reports may allow trends to be identified either geographically or with apparatus types.

 

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