Southern Water has revealed that it is planning to turn the Isle of Wight’s wastewater into safe drinking water as part of a sustainable future, with the Island continuing to be a vanguard of water innovation.
Currently, around a third of the Isle of Wight’s water supply comes from the River Test in Hampshire and is pumped across to the Island from the mainland. But the amount Southern Water can take from the River Test has been reduced to protect this rare and delicate chalk stream ecosystem.
With this in mind, 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 stark warning is that the taps could run dry in just 10 years if changes are not made.
The Isle of Wight will be the first of 4 water recycling plans proposed by Southern Water which will use water recycling technology, and its advanced treatment techniques, to turn highly treated wastewater into purified recycled water so less needs to be taken from the environment.
In short, wastewater that travels to Sandown will be treated as usual before passing over to the new plant to be built next door to the Wastewater Treatment Works on land owned by the Isle of Wight Council. Here it will be further treated before being pumped into the River Yar – via a new pipeline – upstream of Alverstone Weir. The clean water will then be extracted downstream at the Sandown Water Supply Works to be turned into drinking water for Island households.
Although the plant will operate all year round, effectively on a trickle charge during the winter months, water will only be put into the River Yar when river levels allow. If the level of the river is too high, then the clean water will be ejected out to sea.
Work is proposed to start in late 2025 or early 2026, with construction continuing until 2028/2029. The plant is planned to be up and running within the next 5 years, in 2030. Islanders will be consulted on the plans in the coming months.
Details of how the works will impact local residents have not yet been revealed, but information is expected to be released when Southern Water applies to the local authority for planning permission next year. It is thought road closures will be needed, but not for extended periods of time.
Simon Cook, Capital Programme Manager at Southern Water, has said:
“Water recycling is safe, sustainable and drought-proof. The proposed Isle of Wight Water Recycling Project will make the Island more self-sufficient while helping protect the River Test.
“It’s all part of our plan to use water more wisely. This means reducing leakage and improving water efficiency in homes and businesses, but it also means looking at new ways of using the treated wastewater that is currently wasted as it’s pumped out to rivers or the sea.”
To find out more about water recycling, visit www.southernwater.co.uk/water-recycling.
Evian for me, who could trust them.
This is very worrying. People should do their homework on the things that can be left behind after the water is treated. Things like antibiotics and oestrogen from the pills people are taking can be left behind and will be ingested by you and your kids. I you do a web search for Endocrine Disruptors in water treatment you’ll see what can be left and what affect in can have on your body. This is bad news and people should look at rejecting this proposal. De-salination would be better as sea water is more diluted but it’s more expensive and troublesome for Southern Water to implement so they’ll go with this cheaper option without giving a dam about your health. They already use polymers and other chemicals in the river water so this is just another health concern. Oppose this plan or suffer the consequences people!
Now,now, you mustn’t take the piss out of the water. Mind you, SOMEONE NEEDS TO!
I’m always weary off that word innovation