Southern Water's Ancasta Tunnel Boring Machine Advances 19km Pipeline Project in Hampshire
WATER INFRASTRUCTURE & DESALINATION
Southern Water's tunnel boring machine, Ancasta, is currently boring a 1.5-metre-wide tunnel for a 19km drinking water pipeline in Hampshire, part of the Southampton Link Main scheme. The project started in mid-2025 and is expected to take over three years to complete, costing more than £100 million.
The pipeline will connect Otterbourne, Compton, and Rownhams, with tunneling necessary in some areas to avoid disrupting major roads and sensitive ecological sites. Southern Water is collaborating with MGjv and HB Tunnelling for this infrastructure project, which aims to improve water network resilience for 2.7 million customers across Hampshire.

Feb 18, 2026, 6:00 AM