Use this page for updates on the status of the Royal Victoria Park ponds that have recently faced issues with pond liner leaks, a very dry summer in 2026, and an unsustainable water source.
What's the problem?
The Royal Victoria Park ponds are an important part of Bath's heritage and a key factor in the park's biodiversity.
The ponds dried out for several reasons:
- The Georgian springs that used to supply the water stopped working
- The old pond lining leaked
- Increasingly hot and dry summers have led to greater evaporation and reduced water quality
Potential water sources
Feasibility work with Wessex Water has established baseline figures for how much additional water is required in the summer months and identified several options for a viable water source to supply it.
The three most promising of these are subject to further consideration:
- Capturing rainfall from the Temple of Minerva
- Capturing water from the Great Dell Flow
- Piping water from springs in the Golf Approach Course
Other water sources have been considered including bore hole, using a bowser, pumping water from the River Avon and using mains water as well as further springs that are even further away from the ponds.
The geology of Middle Common is not favourable for either a reliable water supply or water quality from a bore hole. The rate of evaporation from the ponds is too high during a typical summer for a bowser to be a viable solution. It would need to be refilled too frequently, may require treatment, and would be costly to maintain. As summers become hotter and drier, using significant quantities of water in this way would not represent a sustainable use of resources.
Using water from the River Avon to top up the ponds is also too costly and impractical. Introducing water from a completely different ecosystem could also pose risks to the ponds' ecology and biodiversity. Mains water would require additional infrastructure and treatment and could contribute to increased algal growth.
How we'll solve the problem
The flows from the Great Dell and several springs on Upper Common have been monitored over the summer to establish both the quantity and reliability of flow. It is especially important to understand the flows during the hotter summer months, to make sure the new water supply will at least match the rate of evaporation from the ponds.
The outputs from this monitoring work is being fed into designing final solutions for these three water sources.
We've allocated funding to support the cost of this design work and we are exploring further funding opportunities to reline the ponds and support the groundwork needed to direct the new water source into the ponds.
What happens next
We want to work with the community to shape the future of the ponds and create a better environment for wildlife in the long-term.
In autumn 2026 we will launch a public consultation to get feedback on a range of concept designs for the ponds to help determine the long term character of the ponds.
How long it will take
Desilting, cutting back vegetation and removing the broken liner from the ponds has been completed. This will keep the area tidy, and allow for us to be ready to reline the ponds as soon as the new water source is in place.
Concept design are being produced ready for Autumn 2026 public consultation. Detailed designs for directing water from the Temple of Minerva and Great Dell have been commissioned, as have high level designs to bring spring water from the upper common to the Botanic Garden Pond.
It will be important to have the new water supply ready before the ponds are relined to minimise the risk of damage to the new liner before it is filled.
Once we have designed the solution, we will look to start construction and reline the ponds. We don't expect the project to be finished until 2028 at the earliest.
Project timeline
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| Autumn 2026 | Public consultation on long-term vision for the ponds opens |
| Autumn 2026 | Removal of silt and broken liner from ponds |
| Winter 2026 | Public consultation closes |
| Winter 2026 | Detail designs for water capture from the Temple of Minerva and Great Dell. Concept designs for water capture from Upper Common Springs |
| Summer 2027 | Temple of Minerva and Great Dell water capture works start. Detailed design for Upper Common Springs water capture |
| Summer 2027 | Full plans taken forward and further funding identified |
| Winter 2027 | Upper Common Springs water capture works start |
| Summer 2028 | Pond project completion |
Get in touch
If you'd like more information about the Royal Victoria Park pond, you can read our press release or email parks@bathnes.gov.uk.