The Grand Union Canal Transfer scheme will see canals in the Midlands used to move water to the southeast, providing thousands of homes and businesses with a reliable supply of drinking water.
We've worked with water companies on similar projects for a number of years, using our historic canal network to transfer water from one region to another.
In the southwest, for example, every day we pump up to 245 million litres of raw water daily from the River Severn at Gloucester along the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, before it is diverted into the Bristol Water's treatment works at Purton where it then supplies thousands of homes with fresh water.
Sustainable and eco-friendly
Our canals are a sustainable, eco-friendly way to move water over long distances without the need to construct substantial new infrastructure.
As well as keeping water flowing, these projects generate income for the Trust which helps us care for our canals. They also help to maintain water levels during dry summer weather and create new habitats for wildlife.
Projects such as the Grand Union Canal Transfer are proof that far from being part of our past, canals can play an essential role in our lives today and in the future.
The scheme is at an early stage and we need your input to help make the decisions needed – such as the best route to take, opportunities to explore, and what is needed to make it work for everyone involved.
The first stage of the consultation process opens on 11 September and closes on 25 October. Have your say.
