Portsmouth Water has signed a sustainability-linked financing package with Ancala Partners, ING, NatWest and Siemens to fund the construction of the Havant Thicket Reservoir and support other growth projects. 

Havant Thicket Reservoir is the first major reservoir to be developed in the UK since the 1980s. The GBP 120 million (US$ 164.50 million) project will play a key role in reducing abstraction from the South East’s internationally renowned chalk streams, the River Itchen and River Test. Portsmouth Water will work in partnership with Southern Water to enable the reliable delivery of 21 million liters of water a day for Southern Water customers in Hampshire, through an 80-year bulk supply agreement. The reservoir is expected to be fully operational by 2029.

In addition to valuable water resources, Havant Thicket Reservoir will provide a new green leisure hub for communities close to the site. 110 hectares of woodland and pasture will be created or improved and a new 10-hectare wetland will also be established. A long-term grant scheme will also be initiated to support environmental projects in the local area.