Benjamin Murphy, Chair of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee, has published an update on work taking place in Wanstead Park. In the first of a series of extracts, the focus is on the Ornamental Water
As part of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee‘s regular cycle of visits to Wanstead Park, we walked the full length of Ornamental Water. With this waterbody completely dry (excluding some recent rainfall) and full of so much vegetation, I do understand the frustrations of those who have written to me asking that we take this seriously.
I can honestly say we do and we are trying everything we can to improve the water resilience of Wanstead Park. However, I have always been transparent in saying the odds are stacked against us with Ornamental Water. The Environment Agency has warned the Mayor of London that within 25 years, London could run out of water. We have a responsibility to ensure the solutions we seek for these man-made waterbodies are sustainable, or to consider alternative options in the best interests of the environment.
So, what specific actions are we taking? Epping Forest currently has an abstraction licence in place to pump 236,520 cubic metres of potable aquifer water each year up until 2028. This is pumped directly into the Heronry Pond and filters down through the cascade. Future abstraction licences are not likely to be permitted and, as such, this is not a long-term, sustainable operation. Therefore, the reinstatement and extension of an ‘up cascade’ scheme needs to be developed. We have engaged expert consultants Spaflow to design a new pump house and new pumps to extract water from the River Roding. Our consultants have engaged extensively with the Environment Agency to ensure all of their proposals meet the extraordinarily tight criteria we have to operate within. This phase of the project has £150,000 allocated from the City of London Corporation.
The proposed new pump house will include filters and pumps which prevent fish being drawn into and harmed by the pumps. We have now submitted detailed proposals to the Environment Agency. However, it may take up to 12 months to consider this application. It is our ambition to begin pumping from winter 2025. However, this is completely reliant on all of the required legal and regulatory permissions, as well as the completed procurement and maintenance contracts, being in place. And one of the outstanding concerns is the quality of water in the River Roding at the moment. So, we are also working with Thames Water and Redbridge Council to address unlicensed discharges of waste into the river.
In a strange twist of fate, there is an unintended benefit to Ornamental Water being dry, as it enables contractors to undertake restoration work to the Grotto. I am also aware there is a sense of irony that the usual water safety signs ask visitors not to swim or bathe in the (non-existent) water! All I ask is for you to please bear with us.
To read Benjamin’s article in full, visit wnstd.com/parkupdate
