Isle of Wight communities are being encouraged to have their say on Southern Water’s proposals for a new water recycling plant at Sandown, as a public consultation begins.
The Isle of Wight Water Recycling Project will provide a new, sustainable source of water for customers on the Island and reduce reliance on the mainland, particularly in times of drought.
Currently, around one-third of the Isle of Wight’s water supply comes from the River Test in Hampshire and is pumped across to the Island via the Cross-Solent Main.
But the amount Southern Water can take from the Test has been significantly reduced to protect this rare and delicate chalk stream ecosystem.
Along with reductions in leakage and improvements in water efficiency, a new source of water is needed to maintain the Island’s supplies, which are also under pressure from a growing population and changing climate.
The company plans to use an advanced treatment technique called water recycling to turn highly treated wastewater from its Sandown Wastewater Treatment Works into purified recycled water.
This purified recycled water would be pumped along a new 3.2km pipeline into the Eastern River Yar at Alverstone at times of lower river levels.
Water from the river would be taken further downstream at Sandown Water Supply Works, where it would be treated to drinking water standards before being supplied to customers across the Island.
The project would be capable of producing up to 8.5 million litres of purified recycled water a day.
Water recycling is a tried-and-tested approach to creating new sources of water for droughts and is already widely used around the world.
The approach will allow Southern Water to significantly reduce the amount of water it needs to take from the environment, benefitting wildlife during a drought.
The six-week consultation, which launched yesterday (Thursday), is an opportunity for people to give their views on the project, including the pipeline route, construction timetable and environmental considerations.
Views from the consultation will inform an upcoming planning application.
The company is holding drop-in sessions at the Broadway Centre, The Broadway, Sandown, from 3pm to 7.30pm on Friday 31 January, and from 10.30am to 1.30pm on Saturday 1 February.
Then again at Alverstone Old School Hall, Alverstone, from 3pm to 7.30pm on Friday 7 February.
Residents can also give feedback on the plans via an online survey until 9 March.
Tim McMahon, Southern Water’s Managing Director of Water, said:
“We’re keen to hear what people think as we continue to develop our plans for the Isle of Wight Water Recycling Project.
“Water recycling will help us use water that is otherwise wasted to provide a resilient, sustainable, source for the Island’s growing population – reducing reliance on the mainland and keeping taps and rivers flowing.”
For more information, visit www.southernwater.co.uk/
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