The Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project (HWTWRP) is a Southern Water project that plans to create a new source of water to supply homes and businesses in Hampshire.
About the project
The Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project (HWTWRP) is a Southern Water project that plans to create a new source of water to supply homes and businesses in Hampshire. The proposal is to tap into the highly treated wastewater that is currently waste and use advanced treatment techniques to turn it into purified recycled water.
The project comprises:
- Approximately 40km underground pipeline (minimum 800mm diameter) to transfer at peak operation (i.e. in a drought scenario) at least 75Ml/d of water from Havant Thicket Reservoir to Otterbourne Water Supply Works
- Approximately 0.5km underground pipeline to transfer at peak operation at least 19Ml/d of treated waste water between Budds Farm Water Treatment Works and the proposed Water Recycling Plant. Plus waste arising from the water recycling process from the Water Recycling Plant back to the Budds Farm area
- A Water Recycling Plant in vicinity of Budds Farm Water Treatment Works with a peak output of at least 15 Ml/d of recycled water;
- A high lift pumping station, either located at the site of the Water Recycling Plant or located along the underground water transfer pipelines between Water Recycling Plant, Havant Thicket Reservoir and Otterbourne Water Supply Works;
- A second stage pumping station and break pressure tank located along the underground water transfer pipelines between Water Recycling Plant, Havant Thicket Reservoir and Otterbourne Water Supply Works;
- Related and ancillary development.
For more information, visit the Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project website and the Planning Inspectorate website.
Portsmouth City Council’s role
Whilst the Secretary of State will decide if development consent should be granted, the Council does have a formal role in the process as a statutory consultee in the consent process and will take part in the independent examination.
The process around development consent orders and nationally significant infrastructure projects is different to local planning.
Each local planning authority affected by the scheme (Havant Borough Council, Portsmouth City Council, Fareham Borough Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and Winchester City Council) will be able to make its views known on the proposal at the independent examination, as are individual residents. The council is also a land owner and will make a response from that point of view.
The project does not require a planning application to be submitted to the council for planning permission. Instead, the permission that the project requires is called “Development Consent.” An application for a Development Consent Order to enable the development to go ahead is made directly to the Planning Inspectorate who will maintain information relating to the development on the Planning Inspectorate website
Background information
To following are background information about the projects and its status:
- National infrastructure planning application process
- Role of local authorities in the development consent process
Project timeline
The application has now been accepted for examination and interested parties can now register to have their say. This must be done by 24 August, 2026.
The application documents have been published.
You can sign up to get updates about this project.
Read more about the application process in our guidance and what happens next on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.
Project stage
Acceptance stage – in progress.
This project is currently at the pre-examination stage.