Urgent repairs continue at Ardingly Reservoir: work to prevent impact on water quality following damage from last year's heatwave

The reservoir said the first of two phases of the work started on May 22 and said construction work will continue until mid-July.

A spokesperson said: “The slippage worsened during the summer of 2022 when the reservoir was low, however we’re now at a stage where we need to carry out urgent repairs to prevent further damage and potential impact to water quality.”

They said that the damage was close to Ardingly Activity Centre, adding: “The first phase of the project involves a large crane situated upon a pontoon lowering heavy gravel bags into the water at the base of the slippage area. This to prevent the slippage worsening while we finalise the permanent repair.”

Ardingly Reservoir is still accessible during the work but the reservoir has warned of a number of restrictions:

The on-site car park is operating at reduced capacity to allow for storage space.

Three footpaths between the activity centre and the car park are closed.

Ardingly Activity Centre is only offering limited activities during the repair work for safety reasons. People can contact the centre on 01444 892549 for further information.

Parking along the access route to the reservoir and Ardingly College is restricted so that HGVs can access the site.

South East Water’s delivery manager Chris Love has apologised for the reduction in Activity Centre activities and disruption at the site. He said: “It is important to understand this project is vital to ensure the long-term enjoyment of the reservoir. We’re proud of the community we serve and want to do everything we can to avoid disruption to businesses, schools and, of course, our customers. We will continue to work closely with anyone impacted by our work to mitigate disruption as much as possible.”

The reservoir also warned that the first phase of work is only a temporary solution. They said that the webpage at www.southeastwater.co.uk will be updated with plans for a long-term solution once they have been agreed.

The work forms part of South East Water’s commitment to invest more than £489 million into improving its network between 2020 and 2025.