UK’s first reservoir in over 30 years taking shape
Our Major Projects Director Ben Ring has been checking in on the construction of Havant Thicket this week – and there has been exciting progress
Keeping taps flowing this summer
Like many other UK water companies, we’ve had to introduce a hosepipe ban this year.
We are very grateful for the support our communities in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have shown in supporting this measure.
Local businesses have also joined in by signing up for our ‘You Save, We’ll Pay’ incentive scheme too, which is fantastic news as we all work together to both keep taps running and protect the precious Test and Itchen chalk streams which supply most of this area.
But I know that these restrictions rightfully raise questions over what we are doing to stop this happening every year.
That’s why it was fantastic to see these images from Havant Thicket where we are working with our colleagues at Portsmouth Water to build the UK’s first new reservoir in more than 30 years.
The shots shows the culvert work to the south of the reservoir site, the site offices to the north, the area where the reservoir’s wetland will be located, as well as the location where ground improvement works are taking place, to provide a stable base for the main reservoir embankment.
Protecting Hampshire's precious chalk streams
This is incredibly exciting because this new water resource will provide more resilience to water supplies in the area when we face hot weather in the future – as we are now. In years to come, the benefits of Havant Thicket Reservoir could increase even further if supported by our water recycling scheme, known as the Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project.
This would enable the reservoir to supply an additional 90 million litres of water per day, on top of the 21 million litres that the approved scheme will provide.
Earlier this summer, our CEO Lawrence Gosden joined his Portsmouth Water colleagues in showing Water Minister Emma Hardy the work at Havant Thicket.
During the visit, the Minister toured the newly created public viewing area and saw construction works progressing at pace.