About Havant Thicket Reservoir

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Why do we need a new reservoir?

Havant Thicket Reservoir is first and foremost an environmentally-led project.

Its purpose is to protect some of our country’s rarest chalk streams – the River Test and the River Itchen.

Southern Water, which supplies our neighbours in West Sussex and Hampshire, is taking steps to protect these rivers by reducing the amount of water it takes from them. This means it needs to find new sustainable sources of water to maintain water supplies to its customers in the Hampshire region.

Portsmouth Water is in a position to help with this major challenge. This is because of the large number of natural springs in the Havant area which provide 30 per cent of the company’s water. These springs deliver a high quality, sustainable supply of water all year round and are thought to be the largest individual source of spring water in Europe.

In the winter, and during periods of high rainfall, there is a surplus of water from the springs over and above what Portsmouth Water needs for its own customers and this surplus flows straight out to sea. We can make better use of this excess water by storing it in the Havant Thicket Reservoir and using it to facilitate a bulk supply to Southern Water.

This will enable us to share water from our network with Southern Water and make water supplies much more resilient across the whole region.

You can find out more about the Havant Thicket Reservoir project by clicking on the links below, as well as the further links at the top of this page. There's also lots of information in our Q&A on this page. Plus, you can download and read our reservoir Design & Access Statement - it's available in the Documents section of this page.

Please note that the current approved plan for the reservoir has no element of recycled water associated with it. Together with Southern Water, we are exploring options for the future, which might include adding recycled water to the reservoir, but these options are subject to further consultation and planning approval. For more details, please click here.

What else we are doing to safeguard water supplies

It’s important we make the best use of the supplies we already have, so we can leave as much water as possible in rivers and the ground to support our environment and wildlife. Filling the reservoir with water which would normally flow out to sea in winter is one way to do this. However, we’re also planning to become more efficient with our existing supplies, such as by further reducing leaks and supporting our customers to use water more efficiently, including providing them with smart water meters, so they understand how much they're using. You can read our new Water Resources Management Plan for 2025-75 for more details.

Why do we need a new reservoir?

Havant Thicket Reservoir is first and foremost an environmentally-led project.

Its purpose is to protect some of our country’s rarest chalk streams – the River Test and the River Itchen.

Southern Water, which supplies our neighbours in West Sussex and Hampshire, is taking steps to protect these rivers by reducing the amount of water it takes from them. This means it needs to find new sustainable sources of water to maintain water supplies to its customers in the Hampshire region.

Portsmouth Water is in a position to help with this major challenge. This is because of the large number of natural springs in the Havant area which provide 30 per cent of the company’s water. These springs deliver a high quality, sustainable supply of water all year round and are thought to be the largest individual source of spring water in Europe.

In the winter, and during periods of high rainfall, there is a surplus of water from the springs over and above what Portsmouth Water needs for its own customers and this surplus flows straight out to sea. We can make better use of this excess water by storing it in the Havant Thicket Reservoir and using it to facilitate a bulk supply to Southern Water.

This will enable us to share water from our network with Southern Water and make water supplies much more resilient across the whole region.

You can find out more about the Havant Thicket Reservoir project by clicking on the links below, as well as the further links at the top of this page. There's also lots of information in our Q&A on this page. Plus, you can download and read our reservoir Design & Access Statement - it's available in the Documents section of this page.

Please note that the current approved plan for the reservoir has no element of recycled water associated with it. Together with Southern Water, we are exploring options for the future, which might include adding recycled water to the reservoir, but these options are subject to further consultation and planning approval. For more details, please click here.

What else we are doing to safeguard water supplies

It’s important we make the best use of the supplies we already have, so we can leave as much water as possible in rivers and the ground to support our environment and wildlife. Filling the reservoir with water which would normally flow out to sea in winter is one way to do this. However, we’re also planning to become more efficient with our existing supplies, such as by further reducing leaks and supporting our customers to use water more efficiently, including providing them with smart water meters, so they understand how much they're using. You can read our new Water Resources Management Plan for 2025-75 for more details.

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  • Share Will we be able to use the reservoir for watersports, eg paddle boarding? on Facebook Share Will we be able to use the reservoir for watersports, eg paddle boarding? on Twitter Share Will we be able to use the reservoir for watersports, eg paddle boarding? on Linkedin Email Will we be able to use the reservoir for watersports, eg paddle boarding? link

    Will we be able to use the reservoir for watersports, eg paddle boarding?

    Bexcon asked about 1 month ago

    Thanks for contacting us about the possibility of using the reservoir for watersports, such as paddleboarding, kayaking and sailing. 

    The approved reservoir planning application includes a recreation strategy that was consulted on with stakeholders, community representatives and local people. The consultation feedback was that large-scale water sports, including sailing, should not be allowed, as this would create additional traffic and activity at the site, impacting nearby communities and wildlife. There is also already plenty of provision for sailing in the local area, including at Chichester and Langstone Harbour. Instead, the reservoir should be a place for quiet enjoyment, with a visitor centre, as well as a new network of paths for leisure, facilities for bird watching and a play and picnic area.

    By way of background, the recreation strategy for Havant Thicket Reservoir, and the level of recreation it is based on, was determined through discussions over many years with our long-established Havant Thicket Reservoir Stakeholder Advisory Group, which is made up of local community groups, councillors, schools, environmental organisations and other bodies. These discussions were informed by surveys with local communities and learning from other reservoir sites and public parks.

    We carefully considered a range of potential leisure activities at the reservoir site, including different water sports. As part of this process, Planning Solutions Ltd, whose team are experts in developing and managing water-based visitor attractions, were asked to review the visitor experience offer at the reservoir. The options report they put forward is available to read on our reservoir project website at: https://havant-thicket-reservoir.uk.engagementhq.com/19578/widgets/55562/documents/32171.

    All three scenarios scoped by Planning Solutions (Low, Medium and High activity levels) were tested extensively with our Havant Thicket Reservoir stakeholder group. The overwhelming feedback received from talking with the group, as well as written surveys and discussions with the local community, has been not to offer large-scale public water sports at the reservoir. Instead, the stakeholder group members selected the ‘Medium’ level plan, with the proviso of providing scope for future expansion. This was because it would feel like a much busier place if there was a more intense water sports offer, attracting more people and putting greater strain on the environment, facilities and local communities.

    I trust this answers your question, but should you have any further enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us at HavantThicket@portsmouthwater.co.uk

    Kind Regards,

    Ruari Maybank,

    Project Director, Havant Thicket Reservoir


  • Share Will people be able to canoe on the reservoir? on Facebook Share Will people be able to canoe on the reservoir? on Twitter Share Will people be able to canoe on the reservoir? on Linkedin Email Will people be able to canoe on the reservoir? link

    Will people be able to canoe on the reservoir?

    Caden227 asked over 2 years ago

    Thank you for your interest in the Havant Thicket Reservoir project.

    We’ve carefully considered a range of potential leisure activities at the reservoir site, including water sports, such as sailing and canoeing. The overwhelming feedback we’ve received, both from written surveys and discussions with the local community, has been not to offer large-scale public water sports, including canoeing, at the reservoir.

    This was because it would feel like a much busier place, attract more people and put greater strain on the environment, facilities and local communities. We are, however, open to conversations with specialist partners about providing activities, which could include canoeing, on a small scale in non-public sessions, e.g. for schools or youth groups.

    We can also confirm that it will be 2028-29 before the reservoir is built and filled with water and we’ll continue our discussions with local communities about what activities they would like to see in the years ahead.