Poole water recycling project cleared to progress to a planning application

(by Karma Loveday)

The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) has approved the Poole Water Recycling and Transfer Project to clear Gate Three of its process and proceed towards a planning application.

Poole will receive £17.9m of funding to work towards the new Major Water Infrastructure Programme’s combined 'Gate C' stage by late 2027. This will include detailed design, cost evidencing and environmental assessment work ahead of a planned Town and Country Planning Act application in July 2027.

The South West Water/Wessex Water project would provide a drought-resilient supply of up to 25m litres of water a day. Water would be taken from the existing Poole Water Recycling Centre and further treated at a new advanced facility before being released into the River Stour. There, it would mix with existing river water before being abstracted further downstream, stored in Longham Lakes, reabstracted and treated using standard treatment processes to deliver high-quality drinking water.