Alderney Water Treatment Works

A vital part of your water supply

Alderney Water Treatment Works, in north Bournemouth, plays a key role in keeping water flowing to your taps.

The site has been part of the community for over 100 years. Today, we’re investing in its future to make sure it continues to provide safe, reliable water for generations to come.

Since joining Pennon Group in 2015, alongside South West Water, we’ve taken a long-term approach to improving our water services. Upgrading Alderney is a big part of that plan and we’re now approaching completion of the project.

We’ve transformed the works to meet modern standards and future challenges, building on proven technology already used successfully elsewhere in our region. Once complete, these improvements will help protect water quality, strengthen resilience and reduce our impact on the environment.

How the works operate

Water for Alderney is sourced from Longham Lakes and treated at Longham, before being pumped to Alderney for further treatment.

At Alderney, water is cleaned using slow sand filters, supported by granular activated carbon to improve quality. It then goes through a series of disinfection stages, before being stored and distributed to our customers.

While this process has served the area well, it needed upgrading to meet modern regulations and to ensure it remains reliable in the years ahead.

How we’re improving Alderney

We’ve now delivered a major upgrade to future-proof the site and enhance water quality.

In the upgrade we will no longer use UV treatment. A new advanced treatment stage is being added after the existing filters. This will provide an extra level of protection against contaminants and help us consistently deliver excellent drinking water.

The upgraded works will use a combination of modern and proven processes, including:

• Advanced ceramic membrane filtration
• New ozonation process to improve water quality
• New granular activated carbon (GAC) filters
• New enhanced disinfection and monitoring

Where possible, we’ve kept and upgraded existing equipment. This reduces the environmental impact, keeps costs down and makes the most of the site’s existing infrastructure.

Building with care

Careful planning and design have been at the heart of this project from the start. We tested different treatment options on site to make sure we selected the best solution for our water sources.

We’ve worked closely with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Councils, as well as local communities, to shape the design of the site and reduce any impacts during construction.

Working together

We’ve delivered this project with a team of expert partners, combining specialist knowledge and innovation to bring these improvements to life.

What this means for you

This investment is all about giving you confidence in your water supply - now and in the future.

Once complete, the improvements at Alderney will help us provide water that is:

• Cleaner
• More reliable
• More resilient to future challenges like climate change

We’re also focused on keeping bills affordable, making sure we deliver these improvements in the most efficient way possible while supporting customers who need extra help.

By upgrading Alderney, we’re protecting a vital part of your water supply and helping to ensure we can continue to serve our communities for many years to come.

For more information

Brian Roper is the Customer Liaison Officer for the scheme and will be the main point of contact for any local issues or enquiries regarding the works. A dedicated project mailbox has been set up, and you can now contact Brian directly by emailing alderneyclo@kier.co.uk

FAQs