Southern Water is investing more than £30 million to boost the resilience of Thanet’s water supply, helping to secure reliable, high-quality water for customers across Kent now and into the future.
Work in Thanet over the next five years includes major upgrades to water treatment processes, the replacement of around 30 kilometres of ageing water mains, along with improvements to power and communication systems at water supply works.
The investment package includes:
- £16 million for new nitrate treatment schemes to enhance water quality
- £3 million to upgrade disinfection processes in line with tighter regulations
- Targeted improvements at key sites to reduce discolouration and improve water quality at Wingham Water Supply Works
- Spending more than £4 million to reduce recovery times following incidents – which means Southern Water can refill its reservoirs quicker
- Upgrades to backup power supplies, control systems and communications to reduce outages
In addition, around 36 kilometres of pipework across the wider Kent area, including Thanet, has been identified for replacement—helping to reduce leaks and improve the efficiency of the network.
The programme forms part of Southern Water’s wider £8.5 billion investment plan over the next five years, which includes a £1.2 billion investment in Kent during the same period.
Director of Water Operations at Southern Water, Tania Flasck said:
“Having a reliable water supply is crucial for our customers, especially as we see hotter, drier summers and increasing demand across Kent. We know customers in Thanet have experienced supply interruptions in the past, and this investment is focused on strengthening the network to reduce that risk.
“This £30 million programme will help make our water supply more resilient, so we can continue to provide a dependable service for homes and businesses now and into the future.”
Looking further ahead Southern Water is also planning additional investment to meet growing demand in Kent, including:
- Consideration of new reservoir storage capacity at Fleet
- Increased water production through development of low-nitrate sources
- Continued long-term water main replacement programmes
The plans are being developed alongside population growth forecasts and new housing developments in Thanet.
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