Rutland Water (Water Supply Case Study)

• Situated in the East Midlands
• Mananged by Anglian Water
• Filled with water from two rivers- River Welland and River Nene
• Covers an area of 12 square kilometres
• Finally built in the 1970's after 10 years of planning and consultation- as many people were opposed to its construction
• Up to 270 million litres of water a day is being continuously pumped through it 
• It was built to supply areas of the East Midlands such as Peterborough with more water, as they have rapidly growing populations
• Distributed to around 500,000 people in 5 counties 

Positive 

• Boosts the local economy- water is sold to areas of defecit 
• Boosts the local economy- it is a popular tourist attraction due to its many recreational activities such as cycling and birdwatching
• The Normanton Church Museum attracts around 300,000 visitors annually and earns around £100 million annually 

Negative

• 6 square kilometres of land was flooded to create the resevoir. This included farmland, meaning some farmers lost their livliehoods eg. Mr and Mrs Locker of Beech Farm
• There is now less room available for industrial/ housing developments

Positive

• Provided lots of opportunities for recreational activities eg. cycling, birdwatching, sailing and windsurfing
• Over 2,000 jobs were created eg. to build/maintain the resevoir, as tour guides etc. The Normanton Church Museum employs 2,312 staff
• Educational visits are provided for schools meaning the resevoir is more likely to be maintained as children are more environmentally aware 
• Normanton Church was saved from demolition- the floor was raised by 3 metres and a stone embankment was built to protect it from flooding, it was then made into a museum 

Negative 

• 2 villages, Nether Hambleton and Middle Hambleton were destroyed in order to build the resevoir, meaning some people were forced to relocate 
• There was lots of social unrest prior to the resevoir being built, as so many people were opposed to it, eg. the 'Not in My Backyard' petition

Positive

• The resevoir was made a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), meaning the wildlife is protected
• 20,000 birds live there including hundreds of different species- this attracts birdwatchers
• Waterfowl are found there as 50 acres of farmland was turned into a wetland
• There is a variety of different habitats eg. marshes, mudflats and lagoons- so can hosue a wide range of species eg. 100,000 trout were released there
• Ospreys, which were extinct in Britain, have been reintroduced to the resevoir through the 'Rutland Osprey Project'

Negative

• Some habitats had to be destroyed for the resevoir to be created

In order for Rutland water to be sustainable-

• the water level must be kept constant- the water used has to be replaced
• it must provide enough water today, whilst still ensuring there will be enough for the future

Management strategies:

• A £65 million programme has been put in place to ensure sufficient pumping facilities and sufficient repair work can take place
• The habitats are maintained to ensure wildlife continues to thrive eg. reed bed trimming