Southern Water Unveils Details for Isle of Wight Sewer Water Recycling Facility

A water utility company has disclosed additional specifics regarding its proposal to process wastewater for public consumption on the Isle of Wight. Southern Water stated its intention to submit an application in 2025 for the construction of a new recycling facility situated in Sandown. The company indicated that this initiative, estimated to cost more than £100m, aims to decrease dependence on water extracted from Hampshire’s River Test. The firm expressed its expectation for the plant to commence operations by 2030. This new facility, positioned next to the Sandown Wastewater Treatment Works, represents one of four such centers the company plans to construct throughout its service area to address increasing demand. Processed wastewater is intended to be conveyed via an underground pipeline to Alverstone, where it would be discharged into the River Yar, upstream from Sandown. Subsequently, water could be drawn from the river at Sandown for public consumption following additional purification, according to the firm. The remaining waste product from this process is slated for release 3km (nearly two miles) offshore through an existing pipeline. In July, opponents of a proposed water recycling facility in Havant, Hampshire, asserted that the residual waste fluid would be “highly concentrated.” The River Test, designated as a protected chalk stream, supplies one-third of the Isle of Wight’s water. Southern Water indicated that the project would ensure approximately 10m litres of water per day remain in the river during periods of drought. Beyond the Havant initiative, additional recycling facilities are projected for Ford in West Sussex and Aylesford in Kent. BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight content is available on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not accountable for the content of external sites. Further details on our approach to external linking are provided.