Protecting the River Ems

GK on site visit

Gillian is working with local councillors, Cllr. Mike Magill, and Cllr. Roy Briscoe, from WSCC and CDC respectively, as well as, the community to reduce the rate of water abstraction from the River Ems, that runs through her constituency.

There is a local community group FOTE, or Friends of the River Ems, which has been established to save the river. If you want to be a friend of the River Ems and its streams, please get involved by signing up as a supporter. Email greeningwestbourne@hotmail.co.uk. 

The Ems, one of only about 200 such chalk streams globally.  Currently, water is abstracted by Portsmouth Water from the underground sources of the Ems, this campaign is working to support the communities efforts to support wildlife, rare habitats and an important resource for local people by better understanding the impact of abstraction and bring forward changes to these rates to protect the river.

For more information on FOTE click here.

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Supporting our rural and coastal communities

Gillian works to support rural communities and businesses. Gillian represents a large part of the South Downs National Park and coastline from Chichester Harbour AONB to the Pagham Nature reserve that includes the Port of Selsey.

News

PWC response

Below is the response from Portsmouth Water to Gillian's enquiries on the June 21

Dear Gillian

Thank you for your e-mail.

Attached to this response is an e-mail we received directly from [removal of personal data] and the response I made to her yesterday.

Gillian writes to CEO of PWC

Gillian has written to Bob Taylor, CEO of Portsmouth Water regarding fresh concerns with river flows reported at extremely low levels.

Update on Havant Thicket Reservoir

Gillian received the below update Portsmouth Water

We are writing to share an update about potential enhanced future uses of Havant Thicket Reservoir, known as the proposed Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project.

Havant Thicket Reservoir update

Formal planning permission has now been granted for our Havant Thicket Reservoir scheme

Timeline for Havant Thicket Reservoir, leading up to its completion by 2029.

SSSI enquiry response

Gillian wrote to Natural England to ask for the River Ems to be considered for SSSI designation.

Please find the response to her enquiry below:

Dear Gillian