Southern Water has designated the West Sussex village of Bosham as the focus of its latest pilot project, aimed at implementing innovative nature-based and engineering solutions to reduce storm overflows.
Bosham becomes the seventh initiative undertaken by the company’s Clean Rivers and Seas Task Force, building on lessons from successful pilots in Kent, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight. Known for its scenic views of Chichester Harbour, Bosham faces significant issues with groundwater during the wetter months, often leading to overwhelmed private and Southern Water pipelines.
The pilot project in Bosham will draw on effective strategies previously employed in the Pan Parishes area of Hampshire near Andover. The initiative will encompass several key actions:
- Relining and sealing approximately 9.9km of sewer in the nearby Funtington area, with over 1.5km expected to be completed within the next year.
- Constructing a new wetland near Bosham Wastewater Treatment Works, projected to be completed by summer 2027.
- Sealing private pipes as needed to minimise infiltration into the sewer network.
This announcement comes in the wake of Southern Water receiving government support for an additional £10 million in funding over the next year to address storm overflows. This funding is part of the preparatory steps before launching its ambitious £1.5 billion Clean Rivers and Seas Plan in 2025, which will partly finance the Bosham project.
Task Force Delivery Lead for Bosham, Joff Edevane, said: “We’re really excited to begin work on another pilot that will make a real difference to reducing storm overflows in and around Chichester Harbour.
“We know that this area of our region suffers from significant groundwater challenges, so we are keen to employ a mixture of approaches that have proven successful elsewhere to tackle this problem and reduce storm overflows. We are looking forward to working closely with the local community during these efforts, for the benefit of customers and the local environment.”
