Portsmouth Water have started construction work at Havant Thicket
Ground has officially been broken on the UK’s first new reservoir to be constructed in over 30 years – the Havant Thicket Reservoir.
More than 70 guests gathered on the site of the new reservoir, in Hampshire, to watch Chair of Ofwat, Iain Coucher, and Environment Agency Area Director, Simon Moody, mark the start of main construction works by putting spades in the ground. They were joined at the official Ground-Breaking Ceremony by Chief Executive of Portsmouth Water, Bob Taylor, Chief Executive of Southern Water, Lawrence Gosden, and Esther Boafo, an apprentice working on the project, as well as pupils from local schools.
Havant Thicket Reservoir will play a crucial role in protecting two of Hampshire’s world-renowned chalk streams – the River Test and River Itchen – as well as safeguarding water supplies across the South East for generations to come. The flagship project will be built and operated by Portsmouth Water and paid for over time by Southern Water’s water supply bills. Under current plans, Portsmouth Water customers would receive water from the reservoir during a drought. This would enable the company to share water with neighbouring Southern Water in the west, allowing less to be taken from the Test and Itchen.
In future, Havant Thicket Reservoir could supply even more water – an additional 90 million litres per day, on top of the 21 million litres of water that the current scheme will provide. This would involve using water recycling – a process already used in many other countries for decades.
For more information about Havant Thicket Reservoir, visit: https://havant-thicketreservoir.uk.engagementhq.com
Regeneration of Bognor Regis Esplanade to start next month
Big increase in price of renting beach huts
Another weekend of road closures on the A27 is planned
Chichester Cathedral unveils celebrations for 950th anniversary
New opportunities for children to discover the South Downs
The new Dean of Chichester
Marwell Zoo announce the arrival of rare baby Bongo
Severe delays on A27 west of Chichester due to road closure
Downton Abbey star opens children’s A&E unit at St Richard’s Hospital
Planning permission granted for periwinkle art in the Medmerry Reserve
On Air