Southern Water has unveiled the latest developments in its plans to help keep Hampshire's rivers and taps flowing - especially in a drought.

The plans are detailed in the company's Water for Life - Hampshire programme. The industry-leading programme is part of Southern Water's commitment to deliver two vital aims associated with delivering a resilient water future for Hampshire.

• Firstly - to protect the Rivers Test and Itchen, two of the world's finest chalk streams by substantially reducing the amount of water taken from them.
• Secondly - to safeguard vital public water supplies now and in future by making up the shortfall via alternative, sustainable sources.

The company has been developing a series of potential options to achieve these vital twin aims, alongside investment to reduce leakage and improve water efficiency.

A wide-ranging and collaborative assessment of these options with regulators and other statutory consultees, stakeholders and customers has been completed including a detailed options appraisal process to consider their likely viability and potential impacts.

Options assessed included a desalination plant, several different configurations of water recycling, using advanced treatment techniques to turn what was previously regarded as wastewater into drinking water.

The company is also exploring building a new pipeline to transport more water from the Havant Thicket Reservoir to Southern Water's Otterbourne Water Supply Works in consultation with Portsmouth Water.

From the complex options appraisal process, water recycling and water transfers were assessed as preferable, particularly when impacts on the environment were considered. Desalination ranked lower than these options - following the appraisal process, the desalination plans have since been halted in favour of the alternative solutions.

Desalination was Southern Water's primary approach to help meet the water supply shortfall, outlined in its ‘Water Resources Management Plan’ agreed with the regulator in 2019.

Consequently, Southern Water has written to its regulators informing them that it is continuing to explore its proposals for water recycling and water transfer solutions and not intending to further develop plans for desalination.

Mark Wintringham, Head of Delivery for Water for Life - Hampshire, said:

"The need for new resources is driven by reductions in the amount of water we can take from Hampshire's rivers during a drought and accelerated by climate change and a growing population.

"As a result, we are developing a holistic approach to the water resources challenge in Hampshire that will put the county at the vanguard of sustainable water resources solutions.

"Our proposals, which include investing to reduce leakage and improve water efficiency, will help keep Hampshire's rivers and taps flowing for us and future generations and pave the way for similar approaches for the rest of the region and indeed the country."

Southern Water is now progressing further investigations and development of the remaining options ahead of its next submission to regulators in December 2021, where it will select its preferred solution, before carrying out further engagement and consultation, and starting the planning process.

Submission documents will be shared on Southern Water's website in the next two weeks.