New drainage system at Andover school to cut sewage spills

Kimpton Thruxton and Fyfield Church of England Primary School, in Kimpton, has installed a £200,000 system called a Sustainable Drainage Solution (SuDs) that helps reduce sewage spills, as part of a joint initiative with the Department of Education and Southern Water.

The system helps drain away rainwater quickly, by channelling it to the ground rather than the sewage system.

It is considered extremely efficient and it also reduces the flood risk for the school.

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The project was officially opened by Kit Malthouse MP and Southern Water CEO Lawrence Gosden (Image: Newsquest)

The system, which has been operating for four months, was officially unveiled by Andover's MP Kit Malthouse and Southern Water's chief executive Lawrence Gosden on Friday, May 10.

Addressing the students, Mr Malthouse praised the system and said it was "such a sensible project".

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He continued: "This project is also going to help the wildlife. Not only we are helping ourselves, and helping Southern Water with their problems, but also helping the natural world around us.

"Southern Water has been working very hard for the past few months to address the flooding to try and avoid the calamity of sewage systems going into the drinking water system. Thus far, fingers crossed, it has worked. But projects like this will help enormously into the future."

The school is only one of the four in Southern Water's patch to get the rain dispose solution.

Kit Malthouse MP and Southern Water CEO Lawrence Gosden cutting a ribbon to officially open the project (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Gosden said: "Even in four months since its operation, it has saved over 300,000 litres of water from going into sewage pipes.

"That is such an incredible thing and massive volume of water."

He also praised the school and the headteacher for partnering with the programme.