1.

0 Introduction
The research would delve into a complex and most vital domain of the management of the
water resources. Having the water reservoirs being critical to ensure water security to the face
of a growing population as well as climate change, the study would concentrate on exploring
multifaceted challenges with the planning and the development of the reservoirs. The research
would develop an effective background, aim, objectives, scope and the rationale to assess the
need of challenges to be mitigated before water supply of the UK to be safeguarded for future.
1.1 Background and context
Much of the water supply infrastructures from the UK had been developed by the end of 19th
century around the time impounding reservoirs were constructed in the upland locations for
providing direct water supply to the conurbations, miles away several times. Reservoirs in the
UK are located in such positions where the catchment received hardly any disturbances and
quality of the supplied water has been accepted without any need of filtration as well as
disinfection (Hall et al. 2020). Hence due to public hygiene standards evolving, there are
supplies seen to be improved under the infrastructural provision of chlorination system.
Infrastructural regulations ensure that all the supplies are provided with almost full treatment
with coagulation as well as filtration.
In England, and Wales 2/3rd of the water comes from lying sources of surface water from
reservoirs, rivers, lakes and rest are extracted from groundwater (Fwrinformationcentre.co.uk,
2023). Lakes and these reservoirs support the rich and diverse flora as well as fauna having
some of the species rely upon habitats for the entire lifecycle (Li et al. 2020).
Hence assessment of all the infrastructure need to have proper planning despite having vital
challenges before them as, Population growth of the UK has been rising, placing a great
demand to the water resources and new reservoirs for meeting the demand. Building of the
reservoirs put adverse environmental impacts through affecting the habitats, ecosystem and the
water quality. Balancing out need of water supply along with the environmental conservation
has been further a major challenge (Fletcher et al. 2019). Ahead huge time gets invested into
identifying suitable locations for having the reservoirs, navigating the complex most planning
and acquiring land as well. Another important issue is climate change that alters precipitation
patterns as well as increases risk of the droughts making sources of long-water resources for
the future challenging (Adshead et al. 2019). UK has faced a severe situational crisis over many
of the existing reservoirs are aging by infrastructure and seeking maintenance, refurbishments
as well as replacement (Fwrinformationcentre.co.uk, 2023).
Moreover a single new potable water reservoir have not been opened in the UK from 1992 after
“Seven Trent Water’s Carsington Reservoir” in Derbyshire has been completed.
 Figure: Aging and infrastructural challenges of dams in the UK
(Source: Statista.com, 2023)
Once the large dams reach to age of 590 years, whoever are in the charge of its infrastructure
maintenance need to be alert in the upkeep the challenges, dangers around old dam may creat
(Statista.com, 2023). As per the report of “U.N. Institute for Water, Environment and Health”
dam keepers of the UK after Japan have been worried regarding the age of the infrastructure of
the water storage. Since average age of dam has passed 100 years in the UK are in alert age of
height at least 15 metres or capacity of at least 3 million of cubic meters (Statista.com, 2023).
Since the UN experts believe to the vitality of number of the new dam projects to remain low in
coming future for having options of replacement as well as decomposition of the most existing
infrastructure of the water storage realised. Dam failures have ballooned from 2005 and has
been rising everyday in the UK, demanding over the assessment of infrastructural planning that
may reduce the inherent challenges. Therefore utilization of the dams to irrigation, hydropower,
flood control, supply of drinking water and recreation can be ultimately possible (Scafidi et al.
2021).
1.2 Research rationale
Since Portsmouth Water has been currently building reservoirs in the area of Havant as
expected to be open by 2029 along with Anglian water expected to be pushed by plans for
having more reservoirs within 2035, assessment of the challenges lie with infrastructure
planning to secure future water supply in the UK has been a justified topic of discussion (Li et al.
2020). However, droughts can be found repetitively in the southwest of England and are
expected to become a common scenario in the country in the coming years, seeking the right-
edge planning process for the infrastructure of the reservoir (Chapagain et al. 2022). “National
Infrastructure Commission (NIC)” has referred to the calculation of a possible capacity gao to be
tentative in the UK of upto 4bn litees per day basis by 2050 for which the country should
concentrate on building water resilience and responsible infrastructure planning process through
mitigation of inherent challenges. Since new reservoirs can be expensive and time-consuming
to construct, the right planning and environmental applications are important to be retained
(Ngene et al. 2021). Hence the study can link in between mitigation of challenges is needed to
the context of need of fulfilling the capacity gap of water demanded and supplied through new
supply infrastructure, tacking of the leakages within 2050. An investment of £20bn has been
addressed to have 4bn litre extra capacity securing the security of the future water supply (Li et
al. 2020).
Without having efficient planning of the infrastructure, length of the time to have new reservoirs
and tackling depreviations would cost huge (Foster, 2020). Even there would come large
account of environment impact to be subjected of further geotechnical investigations carried out.
With greater weather extremes, the research visualizes a rationality of moving into immediate
mitigation of the challenges with infrasyrcture so that new reservoirs for future may be installed
as well as there would not be greater strains on the networks of water supply in the coming
future.
1.2.1 Research gap
Gap in this research lies with specific assessment of the infrastructure planning based
challenges associated to the major water reservoirs in the UK. However the text has not been
addressing challenges lie with broader view of the water sector (Rubinato et al. 2019). Hence it
hardly delve into unique considerations, strategies and constraints associated to development
and the maintenance of the major level of water reservoirs. These reservoirs have always been
significant to ensure the security of the water supply and the mitigation of overall impacts with
droughts and the floods, making them a part and parcel of the landscape of water infrastructure
(Ngene et al. 2021). The study may focus upon exploring issues as reservoir capacity, land
acquisition, public acceptance, assessment of environmental impact as well as long-term
sustainability into the context of major reservoirs of water in the UK. a considerable gap lies in
accurate figures of population growth of the UK recvealed that makes climate changes and
need of having the environments protected, leaving a gap in betwreen avaiable water and the
water needed for the supplies to public (Foster, 2020).
1.2.2 Potential benefits, Impact and Contribution of Study
This research may accrue greater benefits as more secured and reliable supply of water to the
face of conditions of changing climate. Understanding of the environmental impact of the
development of reservoirs may lead to have more sort of sustainable practises which further can
protect the ecosystems as well as biodiversity. The research may add value to building more of
resilient infrastructure which can further withstand different extreme weather events as well as
got adapted to climate change (Ngene et al. 2021). An efficient reservoir planning may further
lead to have cost-saving as well as reduced level of energy consumption in the treatment of
water and the overall distribution. Above all the insights developed addressing the public
concerns and the increased acceptance of the major reservoir projects may streamline efficient
process of planning.
Academia benefits by this research process having opportunities over studying the
environmental impacts very closely, explore engineering solutions as well as have venture out
developments scope of the research (Li et al. 2020).
Policymakers may utilize this process of planning for ensure the water security, enact
regulations to safeguard the natural level of ecosystem and balance out regional dem,ands over
water (Foster, 2020).
Industry practitioners may find opportunities into water management, construction, technology
that may lead to have an economic growth.
The public would gain from the positive cobnsequences of the improved supply of water,
recreational options and reduced level of flood risks.
2.0 Research aim and objectives.
The research process will aim to assess the infrastructure planning challenges into provision of
the major water reservoirs in the UK, with a focvyus over enhancement of the management ogf
water resource and the sustainability.
Objectives will be,
 To identify key factors as well as regulatory hurdles that may affect infrastructure
planning of the major water reservoirs present in the Uk
 To evaluate environmental and the social impact of the reservoir development
considering the ecological conservation as well as public-well being
 To propose strategic recommendations to address identified challenges as well
as optimise the infrastructure planning to the sustainable provision of the water
reservoirs in the UK.
3.0 Overview of methodology
The research will be perceived to be best-suitted with choice of intewrpretivism rersacg
philosophy as it emphasizes upon understanding of the most complex social aspects while
aligning to multifaceted nature inhabited to challenges in infrastrctural planning process and
diverse stakeholders associated with the projects of water reservoir (Newman and Gough,
2020). An inductive approach will be suitable to this research as it may start ti specific
observations as well as data and moves forwards toward having development of the broader
themes generated in the research process to explore the context widely. Theories will also be
directed in the presence of inductive approach practised ( Mukherjee, 2019). Since this field of
the challenges in planning oif the water reservoirs in the UK are not extensively studied,
inductive approach will allow the researchers to build new insights along with theories utilised
for effective results (Pandey and Pandey, 2021). Exploratory design will be chosen as it may
allow for a comprehensive investigation over underexplored topic of research. This design will
be suitable one facilitating initial exploration of intricate as well as multifaceted challenges
related to the water reservoirs to be planned by infrastructure. Secondary qualitative data will be
collected from repited databases as Google Scholar, PubMed, Proquest and ScientDirect using
“Boolean Search Strategy” (Bairagi and Munot, 2019). Thematic analysis will be done over
different themes generated lined with the topic of concern.
4.0 Gantt chart/plan of work