This isn't good!

[Rusty]

That's interesting - I was under the impression that Farmoor supplied Swindon from the Thames, but as you say, that isn't the case. They were granted a two year extension on their permission to pump from Axford in May this year:

 

http://www.thameswater.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/...s.xsl/13846.htm

 

So...if I understand this correctly. Both the EA and TW acknowledge that the Kennet is suffering because of the Axford abstraction. There is a viable alternative at a cost of £10m but TW won’t bear the cost, they want to be compensated for not running the Kennet dry. In the meantime both parties have agreed that water can be taken for another two years.

 

Doesn’t seem to me that caring for the environment is very high on either agenda.

 

By the time this is sorted out I’ll have nowhere to fish, I’ll be roaming a dry riverbed with tears in my eyes and fond memories of blank days…I might as well buy a bivvy and bedchair now.

[Steve Walker]

I think that's about the size of it, yes.

 

Someone remind me what the Olympics are costing