Southern Water unveils plans for improvements at Budds Farm treatment works to reduce sewage spillages into Langstone Harbour

A planning application has been submitted by the water firm, which deals with waste water in the area, to build a kiosk to control motors in a Havant water treatment plant. The motor control centre kiosk is planned to operate at the Budds Farm Wastewater Treatment Works in Havant and is part of a new stormwater storage facility.

The Budds Farm works, which treats wastewater from communities living in the area, is around 17 hectares and provides full flow to treatment of 982 litres per second, treating flows of up to 108,853 cubic metres (m3) per day. During heavy rainfall, more water runs into the sewage system, mixing with the regular sewage and diluting it. This causes an increase in flows to the works and untreated water can be dumped into Langstone Harbour if stormwater storage tanks are overwhelmed to prevent flooding. When flows drop back, the stored stormwater is then pumped back to the works to be treated.

To prevent these discharges of untreated stormwater into Langstone Harbour, the firm, which handles Portsmouth wastewater but supplies, said an extra 4,152 m3 of stormwater storage capacity must be provided. By doing so, the total stormwater storage capacity provided at Budds Farm WTW will increase to 11,120 m3 – a rise of nearly 60 per cent.

The date by which the Environment Agency (EA) said the additional storage to be created and operational is March 31, 2025. To meet those requirements, Southern Water wants to build the new tank, a below-ground pumping station, and connecting pipes and valves. While the new scheme can be carried out under permitted development with Hampshire County Council’s approval, the motor control centre kiosk – which will house electrical equipment – needs planning permission. As part of the project, offices, meeting rooms, a canteen, storage, changing and drying rooms, toilets, and showers will be built. Pre-building work at the site began in September 2023 and is set to continue until February 2024.

The works allowed under permitted development, such as civil engineering and mechanical and electrical installation, were due to start in January and end in September 2025. The building of the new stormwater storage facility should then be finished between September 2024 and November 2025.

Public consultation on the plans, with the reference HCC/2024/0044, is open until March 7.