Durn Marina - Lack of Water

John Kay

Vice Chairman of Littleborough Marina Community Interest Company, and Rochdale Online director, John Kay has written to British Waterways seeking to set up a meeting with British Waterways, United Utilities and the Marina with the purpose of trying to understand why feeder reservoirs cannot be used to provide more water at Summit Littleborough - that nbsp;being the purpose for which they were created.

In reply, Neil D'Arcy, of North Wets Water has said British Waterways are willing to attend a meeting to discuss the issues of resource, but consider that there may not necessarily be any meaningful benefit gained from such a meeting.

He explained: "The current water resources available to supply the Rochdale Canal from both the Blackstone Edge group of reservoirs at the summit and Hollingworth Lake, which enters below Lock 48, are as set out within the Oldham and Rochdale Corporations Act 1923.

"As these are statutory entitlements, and therefore will require a further Act of Parliament in order to change, we currently have no choice but to follow them and endeavour to use our expertise as a navigation authority to best manage these for the good of the Rochdale Canal and its users."

However, following a meeting this week of Littleborough Canalside Development Group Mr Kay said:

"We would all like to understand why United Utilities cannot agree to let you have more water when they are not using it and it is just running to waste.

"It should not take an Act of Parliament to agree this - but if it does then we must get Paul Rowen MP involved."