Bournemouth Water has completed the first phase of work at its Knapp Mill Water Treatment Works, marking a major milestone in the delivery of its £85 million upgrade project.
The preparatory works, which began in October 2024, have been successfully completed, setting the stage for construction to begin this summer.
The Knapp Mill upgrade forms part of Bournemouth Water’s £200 million investment programme to modernise and future-proof its water system.
The upgraded facility, which provides drinking water to around 163,000 people in the Christchurch, Ringwood, New Milton, Lymington and Beaulieu areas will use advanced technology to deliver more sustainable, cleaner, better-tasting, and more reliable drinking water for customers across the region.
Steady progress on site
Preparation work at Knapp Mill has seen notable improvements made in the last seven months.
A number of site preparations have been completed to date including:
- The construction of a landscaped earth mound around the site to reduce noise and enhance the site’s appearance for residents. The mound will soon be planted with trees and greenery to help the site blend into the surrounding landscape.
- A new pedestrian crossing has been built connecting Mill Road’s green space to the Avon Valley Footpath after a request from the local council.
- Off-site, modular treatment units and a ceramic membrane building have been constructed to minimise disruption to local residents once construction begins.
With the full design plan for Knapp Mill now complete, Bournemouth Water is preparing to begin on-site construction in the coming months.
They will be digging on site and laying concrete to make the base of the building and begin putting together over 70 pre-made filtration units on-site to make construction faster and easier.
Richard Stanbrook, Director of Drinking Water Services at Bournemouth Water said: “Preparation works at Knapp Mill have progressed well over the last seven months, setting the stage for a major transformation of one of our key treatment works.
“This upgrade will bring cutting-edge water treatment technology to the region and help us to deliver better tasting, cleaner and more sustainable water for years to come.”
The upgraded facility is on track to start delivering water to households across Bournemouth by Spring 2026, boosting Bournemouth Water’s treatment capacity and improving the resilience of water supplies across the region.