More than 100 people are reliant on Straitgate for their drinking water. On the question of security of supply, AI says that "draft Heads of Terms are provided for discussion with DCC":
In the event that in the opinion of the EA, as party to this agreement, the balance of probability is that contamination or interference of groundwater boreholes or private water supplies or the inability to draw satisfactory water supply has occurred partly or wholly as a result of the wining and working of minerals at Straitgate Quarry then AI shall forthwith make alternative temporary and/or permanent arrangements for water supply to the users affected at AI’s cost and liability, proportionate to the cause. 3.4
AI proposes the following letter of 'comfort', but, if the loss or contamination of supply is disputed, water users could be left with a legal headache and a large bill:
But AI’s Section 106 agreement 3.5 is not all that it seems, since Cadhay Spring, which derives its water from Straitgate under protection of an Environment Agency SPZ and supplies 60 people at Cadhay and surrounding properties and 2,000 people each year in its Tea Room, is notably excluded:
The monitoring schedule included as part of the s.106 agreement shall include [list of springs and wells, not including Cadhay Spring]. In addition, monitoring will continue at Cadhay Spring. 3.6
Presumably, AI is not wholly confident that it would not impact this water supply in some way.
