Roger Evans AM, Conservative Environment Spokesman, has branded the Mayor’s opposition to the proposed Thames Water desalination plant at Beckton “grossly irresponsible”.
The plant has received planning permission by Newham Council but is now the subject of a Public Enquiry conducted by the Planning Inspectorate.
A statement issued by the Mayor’s office last week stated Mr Livingstone would “call on Thames Water to improve its record on fixing water leaks, reduce demand for water through water saving devices and to further educate customers about water conservation” action he said would “avoid the need to build a desalination plant”.
Mr Evans however claims London “desperately need to increase the availability of clean water for Londoners and it’s shocking to see Ken Livingstone opposing this on spurious environmental grounds” adding that the current growth in population means “there is a real risk of the taps running dry in a few years, and we cannot continue to pretend that doing nothing is the answer”
However the Mayor’s stance is support by Green Party Assembly Members. According to Darren Johnson the plant would “pump out 25,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year and relatively little water. It is ironic that the Environment Agency is supporting an energy guzzling solution to water shortages which are partly created by climate change.”
