Investment: £40 million
Where: Bewl, Kent/East Sussex
Start: April 2023
Completion: Winter 2025/26
What are we doing?
As of January 2026, our upgrade of Bewl Reservoir is in its final stages. All major pipework has now been successfully installed.
One of the most complex parts of the project was fitting the three new steel marine pipes. Each pipe weighed around 20 tonnes and was too far from the shore for a crane, so we floated them into position and pulled them up the embankment. Specialist divers helped lower them into place with winches and trolleys, aligning them with incredible accuracy – within just 1mm – to connect perfectly with the dam wall.
We’re now putting up new security fencing and restoring the areas where we’ve been working. Most construction work will finish in February 2026, and we’ve started commissioning the new system. This involves releasing small, controlled flows of water into the spillway so it can be safely held behind the new overflow wall and released gradually to keep the River Bewl at normal seasonal levels.
If water levels allow (they’re lower than usual after last summer and autumn’s dry weather), we expect to finish commissioning by the end of March 2026. Once the new system is fully operational, we’ll be able to lower the reservoir level safely and in a controlled way whenever needed – for example, to carry out repairs to the dam.
Our reservoir at Bewl is the largest stretch of open water in the South East of England. It’s a key source of drinking water for East Sussex and Kent, with the capacity to hold more than 31,000 million litres of water – enough to provide an average day’s usage to almost 200 million people.
Useful information for residents and visitors
We’re working closely with Bewl Water to limit any disruption to local residents, visitors and businesses that operate there. Reservoir users and walkers/cyclists will continue to have access to the water and the footpath near to our working area.
Want to know more?
You can email the Capital Projects Customer Team at capitalcomms@southernwater.co.uk. They will always get back to you within 5 working days, but usually less.
Alternatively, you can call us on 0330 3030 368. Just tell us you’re calling about Capital Projects, with Project Reference Number (PRN) 795000 so we can help you more quickly.