Richmond Council is hosting a public meeting to give Richmond upon Thames residents an opportunity to get a full and balanced understanding of the Teddington Direct River Abstraction (DRA) project and its potential impact before responding to the Thames Water consultation.

The Council will host a panel discussion where attendees will get an opportunity to ask questions of Thames Water, Council representatives and local community-interest groups.

Richmond Council has stood unanimously against Thames Water's plan to take water from the River Thames at Teddington Weir and divert it to the Lee Valley Reservoirs, replacing it with treated waste-water from Mogden Sewage Treatment Works.

Cllr Gareth Roberts, Leader of Richmond Council, said: "Last month all Richmond councillors voiced their serious concerns about these plans and while we will continue to put our representations to Thames Water as the land-owning Council, we also want to make sure residents have all the information they need to have their say in the consultation on these plans.

"Whether it is to understand the impact on our local parks and our natural habitats, or how exactly the project will tackle future water shortages, there will be knowledgeable experts on hand to answer questions."

The public event at York House in Twickenham will take place on Monday 27 November 2023 at 6:30pm with attendees invited to visit information stalls and meet representatives.

The meeting will begin at 7pm with representations from the panel and then an open Q&A.

The discussion will be chaired by Cllr Gareth Roberts, Leader of Richmond Council.

The panel will include Cllr Julia Neden-Watts, Deputy Leader and Chair of the Environment, Sustainability, Culture and Sports Services Committee, as well as Council officers and representatives from Thames Water and community interest group Save our Lands and River.

Those wishing to attend are encouraged to be there in person to get the full benefits of the event.

A live stream option will be available with online viewers able to submit questions via a digital platform.

Attendance is free, but registration is essential, as in person places are limited. Attendees who have not registered in advance may not be admitted.

Find out more and register for the meeting.

The Thames Water's consultation runs until Monday 11 December 2023.