Welcome to Water for Life – Hampshire
Hampshire faces water shortages. New water sources are necessary to keep local taps and rivers flowing today and in the future. Our Water for Life – Hampshire programme will create greater resilience, especially during dry weather and drought.
Adapting to a changing world
Our world is changing – the twin pressures of more extreme weather events and a growing population are stretching our finite natural resources, including water.
This challenge is felt strongly in the water-stressed South East, particularly in Hampshire following new rules over how much water we can take from the county’s two main rivers – the Test and Itchen.
These rivers are protected by environmental laws that limit how much water can be removed to supply to the public. Due to recent changes to our licences, we now have a shortfall of water in south Hampshire when the weather is dry.
Further licence changes are expected – which could increase the shortfall to around 190 million litres a day by 2030 during drought conditions.
Our current Water Resources Management Plan plans to make up this shortfall by 2027. To achieve this, we’ve launched Water for Life – Hampshire.
Protecting Hampshire’s rivers
The Rivers Test and Itchen in west Hampshire are among the finest examples of chalk streams in the world – rare ecosystems that support an abundance of wildlife such as salmon, trout, crayfish and dragonflies. However, the twin pressures of more extreme weather events and a growing population have put strain on these rivers – threatening the wildlife these unique habitats support.
To protect Hampshire’s rivers, the Environment Agency updated our licences in March 2019. The new licences restrict how much water we can take when river flows are low. Hampshire is now at risk of water shortages, especially during dry weather when water restrictions may be required.
To prevent a shortage, we’re investing in new water sources and asking customers to save water.
Check river flows in Hampshire
Addressing the shortfall
Between now and 2030, we’re investing to improve how we source, treat and supply water across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
The programme will reduce the amount of water we source from the Test and the Itchen by creating a modern water supply network. The result will be a resilient water supply for our customers and the environment, whatever the weather.
Find out what we’re doing to address the shortfall:
Why may water restrictions be needed?
Securing new water sources to address the shortfall will take time. Until then, the area will be at risk of water shortages and we may need to apply for drought permits or drought orders to ensure customers’ supplies are maintained.
Drought permits and drought orders allow us to continue to take water during dry weather. We monitor the river levels and will apply for a permit if flows drop below an agreed level. If a permit is granted by the Environment Agency, we must introduce water restrictions to reduce unnecessary demand on the rivers when supply is already short.
Previously known as hosepipe bans, the water restrictions are now called temporary use bans. They limit some types of water use – for example, using hosepipes or pressure washers. We know customers may find water restrictions inconvenient, but we must balance our needs with those of the environment – everyone can help to protect these rivers, together.
If we have to impose temporary use bans, we’ll introduce them in phases starting with areas which depend on the river with low flows for water. We’ll provide full details in advance.
Are water restrictions in place in my area?
What we’re doing
We’re pumping hundreds of millions of pounds into Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to address the shortfall.
We’re exploring potential new sources of water, including water recycling to keep treated water in our network – and new water mains to link up our key sites and bring in supplies from neighbouring companies.
Find out more about what we're doing:
What you can do
While we work to address Hampshire’s water shortage, you can ease the pressure on our precious rivers by following these tips on how to save water.
FAQs
Read answers to frequently asked questions: