£29 million investment to reduce flooding

Work has started on plans for a major programme to reduce the risk of flooding in Portsmouth.

A £29 million series of schemes that will separate rain water from the main sewerage system, increase the capacity of the network, and improve our storm tanks and outfall at Fort Cumberland.

Surveys are being carried out across the city to determine where work will take place and what the schemes will involve. New sewers will be constructed and improvements made to a number of pumping stations so that there is more space in the system and excess surface water can be released to avoid flooding during periods of heavy rain.

The scheme follows the recently completed project at Eastney Pumping Station that enables 9,000 litres of flood water a second to be pumped away from Portsmouth. The scheme comprises of a huge underground pumping station providing back-up to the existing works.

Mike Hancock, MP for Portsmouth South, visited the site in Henderson Road during the summer.  He said: “I’m very impressed that this project has come in on time. I’m delighted that we have the fall-back facility that Portsmouth has been crying out for. While it’s caused disruption in this area, it’s got to be praised for giving benefit to the city. It is money well spent and, hopefully, future developments will give us greater protection against flooding.”

We are also supporting the project to build a new museum for the Mary Rose and its artefacts at Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard. Our contribution is going towards the development of an educational laboratory in the new museum that will benefit the thousands of schoolchildren who visit the ancient ship every year.

To find out more about the work of Southern Water, see our annual Stakeholder Report.