Peace and tranquillity will soon return to the lower reaches of the Test Valley following the successful restoration of the Testwood Lakes scheme at Totton, Southampton by Viridor Waste Management (Hampshire) Limited.  The project, which is being carried out on behalf of Southern Water, safeguards the quantity and quality of drinking water supplies in Hampshire and parts of the Isle of Wight and following the completion of ancillary facilities and landscaping, will provide a number of additional amenities.

The overall scheme involved the construction of three lakes; Little Testwood Lake - a water storage reservoir; Testwood Lake - the principal feature of the public amenity area providing facilities for angling, sailing and walking, together with an interpretation centre for use by schools, local interest groups and the public under the direction of the Hampshire Wildlife Trust and Meadow Lake - the centrepiece of a wetland nature conservation area. 

Robert Long Consultancy was commissioned in 1996 during the early stages of the project to provide surveying, technical and contract administration services to Viridor Waste Management (Hampshire) Limited.

View across the Lake from the Northern shore

“Given the complexity and scale of the works undertaken and the uncertainty as to the precise nature of the final product” says Owen Humphries, Senior Consultant “it is a credit to all members of the project management team that the benefits of this highly prestigious scheme will soon be realised”. 

Whilst the imminent completion of restoration works would initially appear to bring our five-year association with the project to an end, Owen adds “it may be a case of au revoir and not farewell” since Southern Water have retained the planning option to convert Testwood Lake into a second reservoir at a later date.