Water boost for Bournemouth area

Two new reservoirs providing an additional reserve supply of water and costing £15 million have been officially declared open.

Milo Purcell, Deputy Chief Inspector of the Drinking Water Inspectorate, unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of Longham Reservoirs.

Plans for the reservoirs were first drawn up by Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water (BWHW) in the early 1990’s. Work officially got underway in 1995.

The first reservoir became operational in 2003 and the second came on stream this year. 

The reservoirs hold 1,000 megalitres of untreated water. They provide a reserve supply of water for the Bournemouth area of approximately 1 million cubic metres (220 million gallons), estimated at about 15 days supply to Bournemouth.

Roger Harrington, BWHW’s Managing Director, said, “The reservoirs will help to maintain the long term reliability and safety of the water supply for customers.

“They also provide an additional source of raw water during times of peak demand, allowing BWHW to meet future demand and improve the quality of raw water to be treated.”

Mr Purcell pointed out that the facilities at Longham Reservoirs provided a haven for wildlife as well as an attractive and peaceful amenity for the enjoyment of the local community. He added: “The reservoirs are important in improving the resilience of drinking water supplies in the Bournemouth area at a time of uncertainty about climate change. They also sustain the economic development of the area for this and future generations.”