The Federation of Cambridge Residents Associations (FeCRA) shares the concerns of experts that Cambridge will soon run out of water 

The East of England is low-lying, and one of the driest places in the UK. Water sources are under pressure meaning people, plants and animals are competing for the same precious resources. 

With climate change, drought is set to become more common amid hotter, drier summers, and intense rainfall events more frequent.

Many residents are very concerned  about this and about the impact on the Cam chalk streams and the wildlife that depends on them. Currently, 99% of Cambridge Water’s supply comes from chalk aquifers and other groundwater sources. This has for many years put pressure on the environment throughout the year, but most markedly when flows are low. 
 
Several solutions have been put forward: 

• a new Fenland reservoir – would not be delivered before 2035 and vulnerable to flooding because of rising sea levels.
• water transfer pipelines from Grafham, probably not available before 2032 if then. 
• water efficiency measures including fixing leaks, reducing demand through a hosepipe ban and smart water meters.
• all major new developments required to achieve the best possible water efficiency standards (i.e less than 110 lppd)

These steps are urgently needed in any case to ensure there will be enough water for existing users and the developments that already have planning permission.

The Environment Agency has objected to developments such as Bourn and Darwin Green on the grounds that they are not sustainable because there is not enough water. 
 
We support these objections and ask that you continue to protect the environment by opposing major developments in this region until there is clear evidence that there is enough water to support them.