Bedhampton & Havant Springs supply 35% of the water used by Portsmouth Water to supply customers. This is a network of natural chalk springs which have been used for public water supply since 1860. The springs are reported to be the largest group of springs used for this purpose in Europe. Winter rainfall helps to recharge the aquifer of the South Downs to the north.

The Havant Thicket Winter Storage Reservoir is designed to store surplus water from the Havant & Bedhampton Springs, which during the winter and spring, would flow into Langstone Harbour. The harbour is a European Designated site (Natura2000) and conditions are imposed by the Environment Agency to ensure that sufficient flows to support the habitat will be maintained. The surplus spring water will be pumped from Havant & Bedhampton to the reservoir through an underground pipeline.

Bedhampton Springs		Stream south of Bedhampton Springs