Consultation from Southern Water

Water for Life – Hampshire will revolutionise the way we source, treat and supply water across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight over the next decade. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are adopting a “digital first” approach to our consultation and have launched a virtual room online where people can interact with films, animations, information boards and brochures detailing the programme and the opportunities to help shape the plans. The virtual room is now live on this webpage www.southernwater.co.uk/water-for-life-hampshire The consultation runs for six weeks, until March 23. All responses must be sent by midnight on March 23. There will be further opportunities to talk to us and help shape our plans as we continue to develop them. We are seeking planning consent for our central plan – a desalination plant in the Fawley area which will produce up to 75 million litres of water per day that will be used to supply water to the Hampshire region during periods of drought. The consultation also outlines the alternatives we are exploring as a back-up in case desalination proves undeliverable – ensuring customers’ supplies are maintained. If one of the alternatives is developed in the future, it would be subject to further development and consultation on that proposal. These include alternative sizes of desalination plant, different configurations of water recycling plants and a possible additional bulk transfer of water from the proposed Havant Thicket Reservoir, which Southern Water is co-developing with Portsmouth Water. We welcome your view to help us shape our plans. The online feedback form, available as part of the consultation process, is an ideal way of doing this. .