Portsmouth Water confirms Atkins as principal designer for Havant Thicket

Portsmouth Water has formally confirmed the appointment of Atkins as principal designer to progress the Havant Thicket Reservoir – the first new reservoir to be built in the South East since the 1970s.

Atkins will be focused on the investigations, assessments and design required to submit an outline planning application in late 2020. It will also support the company’s extensive customer engagement and participation programme.

Portsmouth Water,chief executive, Bob Taylor (pictured), said: “We’re delighted to have the expertise of Atkins on board for what is a critical water-supply infrastructure scheme for the wider South East as supplies come under increasing pressure from climate change and population growth.

The £100+ million scheme will make use of Portsmouth’s resilient spring supplies in the otherwise seriously water-stressed region to create a strategic new water resource. It will enable transfers from the company’s existing network to the wider South East, as well as create new wildlife habitats and a community green space and leisure facilities.

The reservoir is being progressed in collaboration with Southern Water, to enable a bulk supply to the neighbouring company’s customers and support them to meet sustainability reductions on two chalk streams – the Rivers Test and Itchen in Hampshire.

Richard Whale, water market director at Atkins, said: “This is a great opportunity to redefine best practice in reservoir design. Collaboration and innovation will play an integral part in the design of the reservoir and its surrounding infrastructure.”

The reservoir is scheduled to be built, filled and operational by 2029.