Clancy wins appointment to deliver critical connection for new reservoir in Hampshire
Clancy has been appointed by Portsmouth Water to deliver the next stage of the Havant Thicket Reservoir project, building the infrastructure needed to transfer treated drinking water from Farlington Water Treatment Works to Nelson Service Reservoir and other adjoining Portsmouth Water reservoirs.
The family-owned contractor will build a pumping station at Farlington and install an 8.5km pipeline between the treatment works and the reservoirs, with Nelson reservoir at the furthest end of the pipeline. The new pipeline will be capable of moving up to 32.4 million litres of water per day – enough to fill 400,000 bathtubs.
Under the approved plans for the Havant Thicket Reservoir project, water from the reservoir will be sent to Portsmouth Water’s 
Farlington Water Treatment Works, where it will be treated to strict drinking water standards.
The new pipeline will be used to move the water across the region, reducing wider use of two precious Hampshire chalk streams, the River Test and River Itchen.
The contract, worth £26.84m, will see Clancy’s locally and directly-employed multidisciplinary team manage the programme from detailed planning and temporary works through to civil engineering, pipeline installation, mechanical and electrical integration and commissioning. Work is expected to begin in December, with completion scheduled for early 2030.
Minimising impact on the environment is a central objective of the project. Reflecting this aim, sustainability performance will be a priority throughout the project including through Clancy’s use of low carbon concrete. While the majority of the route runs through farmland, Clancy will also use innovative techniques such as horizontal direction drilling where the pipeline intersects with existing transport networks and amenities. This trenchless technique reduces waste and environmental impact, but also crucially minimises disruption for local communities by avoiding open cut excavation.
Matt Cannon, chief executive officer at Clancy, said:
“Havant Thicket Reservoir is one of the UK’s most important new water resource projects, and we are proud to be helping Portsmouth Water to construct the critical infrastructure its network needs to support this development.
“We will be bringing together skilled, directly employed teams and specialist local supply chain partners to deliver the scheme, from the new pumping station and mechanical and electrical systems to the 8.5km pipeline to move treated water across the network. Our focus throughout will be on safe, precise and efficient delivery that also protects the environment and minimises disruption to the community.
“This appointment builds on Clancy’s longstanding experience in building and strengthening complex infrastructure in the region. As the water sector faces growing pressure from our changing climate and rising demand, we’re looking forward to working on this project to secure future water resilience and protect Hampshire’s ecologically important chalk streams.”
Bob Taylor, chief executive officer of Portsmouth Water, said:
“This is another important milestone for the Havant Thicket Reservoir project and we’re delighted to welcome Clancy on board. They have more than 60 years of experience and bring considerable expertise in delivering major civil engineering projects.
“We’ve worked hard to design the route in a way that keeps disruption to a minimum, but we know there will inevitably be some impact. Keeping local people informed and listening to communities will be a really important part of how we deliver the work. We’ll be out talking to people, holding meetings and drop-in sessions and making sure there are plenty of opportunities to speak directly to our teams.
“Ultimately, this work is about delivering the core purpose of Havant Thicket Reservoir: helping to protect the River Test and River Itchen, two incredibly precious chalk streams here in Hampshire.”