Plans for a major expansion of an Essex reservoir are due to be submitted within months.
Essex and Suffolk Water wants to expand Abberton reservoir, south of Colchester, by 60 per cent to ensure the county has a sustainable water supply for the growing population.
The county is set for an extra 127,000 homes over the next 15 years, placing increased demand on utilities such as water.
Jim Jenkins, Abberton project manager, said: "The Abberton reservoir scheme is necessary to ensure adequate supplies of water are available to meet the long-term demand in the Essex area, allowing us to catch and store more of the winter rainfall for use in summer months."
Essex and Suffolk Water anticipates submitting a planning application to Colchester Council in late May or early June.
The whole scheme could also be called in for a planning inquiry by the Secretary of State, which would be likely to start in early 2008.
The company hopes full planning consent will be granted by 2008/09, construction work starting at the reservoir in 2010 and for it to be fully operational by 2014.
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