Business South’s Energy & Utilities South Action Group was invited to Havant Thicket Reservoir, the UK’s first new reservoir to be constructed in over 30 years. Shaun Stevens from EPS Water chaired the meeting and updated the group on the progress of the Water White Paper and the Energy White Paper, which is being produced by his co-chair, Sam Clough from Cavendish. He noted that it is almost complete and ready to be released at the next meeting.
The group was welcomed by Eleanor Shipton and James Hodgson from Portsmouth Water, and Sam Underwood from Southern Water, to the Havant Thicket site to learn more about one of the region’s most significant infrastructure developments and the role it will play in securing future water supplies across Hampshire and the South East.
Eleanor shared insights with the group on the progress of the project. This included its role in addressing climate change and population growth, with measures such as creating and enhancing 200 hectares of woodland, delivering an 80-hectare rewilding project, and relocating 450 trees. The reservoir will also supply around 21 million litres of water per day locally while reducing abstraction from other environmentally sensitive chalk streams and rivers in the area. Eleanor explained that the team is actively involved in quarterly Stakeholder Advisory Group meetings, collaborates with local schools, and that the project is now used as a case study in the GCSE Geography syllabus. Current plans also include a visitor centre overlooking the reservoir, walking and cycling routes, and birdwatching observation areas.
Sam shared with the Energy & Utilities Action Group details of Southern Water’s Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project, a key part of the region’s long-term water resilience strategy. The presentation highlighted how advanced water recycling technology will be used to create new drought-resilient water supplies, complementing the reservoir and helping to reduce reliance on traditional water abstraction sources. For context, the drought of 2022 was a one-in-30-year drought. For those who remember the drought of 1976, that was a one-in-60-year drought. Southern Water is preparing for a one-in-200-year drought.
The visit concluded with a guided tour of the construction site, giving members a first-hand view of the scale and progress of the project. The session provided valuable insight into the infrastructure, innovation, and collaboration required to address the Central South’s future water needs while supporting environmental protection and economic growth across the region.
