CALLS are being made for civic chiefs to have a 'stronger stance' on the major £1.3bn scheme to reduce the amount taken from the county's chalk streams.
Southern Water is planning to build a pipeline from Havant to Otterbourne to transport recycled water.
The project involves building a new water recycling plant south of Havant to turn treated wastewater into recycled water. This will be transferred via a new underground pipeline to the proposed Havant Thicket Reservoir.
They will transfer it, via a new pipeline, to the Otterbourne Water Supply Works, where it will be treated further to become drinking water.
Speaking at Winchester City Council's full meeting on Tuesday, Cllr Danny Lee, Green Party, asked what the council's response would be.
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He said: “There's the extremely high financial cost with other opportunities lost. Also an absence of a fully considered alternative option for a modern new technology renewable energy desalination plant, with fewer environmental harmful impacts in the Western Hampshire high water consumption area.
Southern Water pipeline plan (Image: Newsquest)
“The current route south of Wickham and Bishop's Waltham to Otterbourne lacks consideration of opportunities for the emerging Winchester local cycling and walking infrastructure plans; biodiversity net gain beyond statutory 10 per cent; addressing poor broadband and mobile network coverage; local area energy plan grid enhancements for renewal energy connections, climate resilience and rising energy demands.
“Can Winchester City Council take action to propose an improved project option with smaller environmental and community impacts with advocation, if the planned route must go ahead?”
Cllr Jackie Porter, cabinet member for place and local plan, said: “Winchester City Council is not the planning authority for this project. It's the Planning Inspectorate. There are eight sections of pipeline in the Winchester district. Our response has included references to each of them.”
Cllr Lee said: “It feels like the train has left the station, I hoped you could say more. I hope we can have a stronger stance on this.”
“We have made specific requests for an upgraded environmental statement and a traffic management plan,” Cllr Porter replied.
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