Island sewer water recycling plan launched

A new recycling plant would be built next to Sandown Wastewater Treatment Works

A water firm has unveiled further details of a plan to recycle sewer water for public supply on the Isle of Wight.

Southern Water said it would apply in 2025 to build a new recycling plant at Sandown.

It said the scheme, costing more than £100m, would reduce reliance on water pumped from the River Test in Hampshire.

The firm said it hoped the plant would start operations in 2030.

The new centre, adjacent to Sandown Wastewater Treatment Works, is one of four that the company hopes to build across its region to cope with rising demand.

Treated wastewater would be piped underground to Alverstone and released into the River Yar, upstream of Sandown.

Water could then be taken from the river at Sandown for public supply after further treatment, the firm said.

The residual waste from the process would be released 3km (nearly two miles) out to sea via an existing pipe.

In July, protesters against a proposed water recycling plant at Havant, Hampshire, said the residual waste fluid would be "highly concentrated".

A third of the Isle of Wight's water comes from the River Test, a protected chalk stream.

Southern Water said the scheme would leave nearly 10m litres of water a day in the river during a drought.

In addition to the Havant project, further recycling plants are planned for Ford in West Sussex and Aylesford in Kent.