A LIMIT has been agreed on Southern Water’s access to two iconic Hampshire rivers, leading it to change its multi-million-pound pipeline plans.

A public inquiry had been launched by environment secretary Michael Gove into the amount of water that can be taken from the Test and Itchen, and now a limit has been put in place, ‘saving’ the salmon that breed in both.

It means that the company has not only abandoned its longstanding plans for a £50 million pipeline, but has also now agreed to tight restrictions after the inquiry outcome.

Southern Water has scrapped plans for a pipeline that could have transferred up to 45 million litres of water a day from the Test to the Itchen.

In response to the agreement, the Dr Alison Hoyle, director of compliance at Southern Water, said: “We take our environmental responsibility very seriously and we are pleased to have reached an agreement with our regulator which protects the precious and unique environment of our chalk stream habitats whilst ensuring security of water supply.

“The agreement over abstraction from these special rivers should not distract from the equally important planning that will ensure that generations to come will experience our chalk stream habitats.”

Dr Hoyle added they were already consulting over construction of new water resources.

The chalk streams are home of unique populations of Atlantic salmon, and also supply much of south Hampshire’s drinking water.

More than ten years ago, the Environment Agency proposed that the water firm should reduce abstractions from the Itchen during droughts, because it is designated as a special area of conservation.

Representing the Testwood and Nursling salmon fishery, Fish Legal argued that extra abstraction would risk deterioration in the lower Test.

Andrew Kelton, lead solicitor for Fish Legal, said: “Fish Legal is confident that, in the long-term, the tight limits and public accountability imposed by these agreements will mean that Southern Water cannot now rely on increased abstraction and transfer from Testwood.

“Ultimately, only time will tell but this appears to represent an end to the company’s long-held plans for further exploiting the chalk-stream sources of southern Hampshire and therefore a victory for one of this country’s most precious natural assets.”