A look into South East Water’s Arlington reservoir

Let’s enjoy our reservoirs safely this summer.

Arlington Reservoir, a Local Nature Reserve near Polegate is one of the 33 sites of Special Scientific Interest that we manage or own, with 49 hectares and a maximum capacity of 3,500 million litres of water!

Construction of the reservoir began in 1969 to meet the growing demand for tap water. The reservoir was formed by cutting off a meander in the River Cuckmere with a concrete faced earth dam. The underlying weald clay provided a natural watertight base. Soil from the construction works was distributed around the edges of the reservoir, creating the earth dam and beautiful landscape we see today.

Over the years the reservoir has flourished and is now a wildlife haven for 173 different bird species, 21 butterflies and many fish species including Carp, Perch, Gudgeon and Eels.

Safety first, always.

Staying safe when visiting our reservoirs is really important. While the water may look like a nice place to cool off in the warmer months, it’s full of hidden dangers that aren’t visible from the surface. Millions of litres of untreated water are uneven in depth, creating a dangerous risk to anyone that jumps in or swims off from the banks.

Under the water surface, machinery and underwater equipment that we use to treat and pump the water are in constant action. This creates a strong underwater current that can start and stop at any time, continuously. Swimming is strictly prohibited at our reservoirs, to keep all our visitors safe. Drone flying, BBQs and cycling on public footpaths is also not allowed at our reservoirs, as they are a haven and home to hundreds of species of wildlife that we work hard to protect, and deserve to be safe and comfortable at all times.

Dogs are more than welcome to enjoy our reservoirs with you, but they must be kept on leads at all times.

By respecting the environment and the water sources we rely so heavily on, we can continue to provide water to thousands of local businesses and homes, while protecting the environment and enhancing it for future generations too.

A wonderful walk.

The Osprey trail at Arlington is a level, circular three-kilometre walk around the reservoir, and takes around an hour to complete. Suitable for all ages, pushchairs and wheelchairs too, with beautiful views of spring flowers and a perfect route past our bird hide, it’s a great trail to follow all year round. The walk is marked with eight different stopping points, which we call way markers, and our downloadable trail map challenges you to spot a variety of water loving creatures, birds and wildlife. Download the walking trail here.(opens in a new tab)

If you do visit Arlington Reservoir, we hope you enjoy your walk. Please remember to keep yourself and others safe, and remember the Countryside Code: leave only footprints, take only photographs.