Southern Water invests million to continue improving water quality on the Isle of Wight

More than £9 million of work to upgrade Sandown Wastewater Treatment Works on the Isle of Wight in an effort to better protect the local environment is set to begin in October.

It is part of wider £17.5 million improvement programme for the island which will run until 2025 – with further schemes being carried out in Roud, Shalfleet and Calbourne, to improve water quality and reduce storm overflows.  

During the Sandown scheme, contractor GTb, a joint venture between Galliford Try Environment and Binnies UK Ltd, will install a new storm tank, pipework and technology at the site to boost capacity and improve treatment processes. 

The Isle of Wight is already home to Southern Water’s Sandown Pathfinder Project, set up to help explore solutions to the water industry’s reliance on a network of storm overflows, designed to stop homes and communities from flooding at times of prolonged rainfall.  

Interventions that are already making a difference in reducing the amount of surface water entering sewers include the installation of thousands of water butts, investment in treatment processes and capacity, and sustainable drainage systems. 

Project Manager for Southern Water, Taniko Aston-Kolek, said:  

“We know how important it is to protect and enhance water quality and our precious environment across the areas we serve. These vital improvements at Sandown add to the other investments we’re making on the island and the pathfinder project to reduce storm overflows.” 

Martin Richards, Project Manager for GTb, added: “We are pleased to be working collaboratively with Southern Water on this project to help improve water quality."

“This work will involve increased vehicle movements to the site. We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience our work may cause to those people living in the area.”