Permission has been granted for a set of pipelines that will feed surplus spring water into a new reservoir on the edge of East Hampshire.

But one could potentially be used to pump treated water into the Havant Thicket Reservoir – although it’s a big “if” with Portsmouth Water making assurances over their intended use.

One of the pipelines recently approved by Havant Borough Council will be used to transport surplus spring water from Bedhampton to the reservoir.

The other will enable water to be drawn out again when it’s needed to supply customers during a drought.

The reservoir between Havant Thicket, Rowlands Castle and Leigh Park is being built by Portsmouth Water and will be operated by the same firm.

The reservoir, which has been more than a decade in the making, is being built to boost and secure future water supplies around Hampshire and West Sussex for Southern Water, while also reducing their abstraction from the sensitive Test and Itchen rivers.

Work on the pipelines will begin soon now the HBC planning committee has granted permission with Bob Taylor, chief executive officer at Portsmouth Water, calling the decision a “key milestone” in delivering the project.

He said: “We have worked hard, together with our contractor Ward & Burke, to develop a detailed pipeline design.

“We have taken into account the public feedback from the consultations we have held.

“Having two pipes in place will mean the reservoir could continue to operate if maintenance was required on one, increasing the resilience of the scheme as a whole.”

Mr Taylor added that much of the pipeline will be tunnelled but there will be engagement with residents and businesses in Havant ahead of overground work.

Portsmouth Water is keen to stress the pipelines are not an integral part of the controversial Southern Water scheme to top up levels by pumping treated water into the reservoir.

That facet of the scheme has been widely opposed with the Havant, East Hampshire and Waterlooville MPs – Alan Mak, Damian Hinds and Suella Braverman – all expressing concerns about that side of the project.

“In the future, the pipelines could potentially also be used by Southern Water, if it receives consent for its Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project,” confirmed a spokesperson for Portsmouth Water.

“This would involve supplementing Havant Thicket Reservoir with purified recycled water, enabling the reservoir to supply more water.

“This will be particularly important in future years, as water companies continue to reduce their abstraction from the environment, particularly the precious chalk streams and aquifers in the South East.”

However, the spokesperson added: “But installing two pipelines will not give Southern Water permission to add recycled water to Havant Thicket Reservoir.

“It will still need to secure separate approval for its water recycling proposals. However, installing this infrastructure now would avoid the additional disruption and costs involved in building a further pipeline to carry recycled water to the reservoir.”

More details about the reservoir scheme can be found at: https://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/new-reservoir/