Environment Secretary Steve Reed is highlighting the Havant Thicket reservoir as a prime example of how £104 billion in private sector investment into water—the largest since privatisation—is driving forward major infrastructure projects and creating over 30,000 jobs across the country.
Visiting the site near Havant in Hampshire yesterday, the Minister highlighted the reservoir as a prime example of how £104 billion in private sector investment into water—the largest since privatisation—is driving forward major infrastructure projects and creating over 30,000 jobs across the country.
People in the South East are set benefit from a more reliable and sustainable water supply with the construction of the Havant Thicket reservoir. The first reservoir to be built in the region since the 1970s will help future-proof water supply in the South East.
By 2030 South East England is projected to face severe water stress due to population growth, climate change and environmental pressures. This could lead to shortfalls unless urgent action is taken to improve water efficiency and build new infrastructure, so projects like Havant Thicket, which will store 8.7 billion litres of water, are essential.
When full, the reservoir will supply an average of 21 million litres of water a day, enough water to supply an estimated 160,000 people.
Investment in the water sector is seen as part of delivering on the government’s Plan for Change, which will support the infrastructure Britain needs to boost growth, construct 1.5 million new homes, and clean up rivers, lakes, and seas for good.
The reservoir, which will be built on a grassland site in between Rowlands Castle, Leigh Park and Staunton Country Park is being developed by Portsmouth Water in collaboration with Southern Water, who is funding the project.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:
“The UK faces a water shortage because we haven’t built a new reservoir in over 30 years – Havant Thicket is a crucial step in securing water for future generations.
“Investment in vital infrastructure like reservoirs is crucial for economic growth and environmental protection – a cornerstone of our Plan for Change.”
The reservoir builds on action taken by the Environment Agency to reduce the extraction of water from the Rivers Test and Itchen – protecting local wetlands.
The Environment Secretary’s visit to Havant Thicket is the latest in a series of visits that he and Water Minister Emma Hardy are making on a ‘Things Can Only Get Cleaner’ tour this week, to see where investment in water infrastructure will underpin the building of new homes, create jobs, and turbocharge local economies.
Yesterday the Water Minister visited Northumbrian Water’s Howdon Sewage Treatment Works to see pioneering technology to cut sewage spills in the North East.
The Minister was given a demonstration of the “smart sewers” that use a mix of artificial intelligence and sensors along the sewer pipes to predict when and where it will rain. This allows them to change the flow and direction of wastewater, reducing the likelihood of sewage spills at times of heavy rainfall.
The plant also uses an Ofwat-backed innovative project to capture ammonia from wastewater.
Emma Hardy likewise highlighted the project as a prime example of how £104 billion in private sector investment is driving forward major water infrastructure nationwide, including sewage pipes, treatment works, and nine reservoirs.
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