Multi-million pound works to improve Peterborough’s sewer system begins

The first scheme which began yesterday, will see £1.3million invested to improve the sewer network off Thorpe Road.

As well as ensuring customers can continue to use their facilities without a second thought, the relining technique will proactively refurbish whole lengths of sewers that become corroded from carrying sewage over time and reduce the change of leaks, thereby protecting the environment and local area. The work will continue for eight weeks, ending towards the middle of November.

Abigail Stevens, Project Manager for Anglian Water’s @one Alliance said: “This is an essential project to protect the network in the area. Over time sewer pipes corrode because of the sewage they are carrying eats into the pipe material. “Refurbishing them proactively like this keeps them in tip-top condition and prevents issues before they occur. The process undertaken is called relining; this is a smart technique that works unseen underground to reduce the impact on the surrounding area, and to keep traffic moving.

“At certain times each week, while you might not be able to see anything special going on above ground, the sewer will be drained and the machine will be busily relining the sewer under the road, hidden from sight.

“This is a great solution for minimising disruption in this busy part of the city.

“Throughout the duration of the work, we will be ensuring that customers are able to use their facilities by using tankers to remove the sewage from the area to a local recycling centre.”

There will be a road closure of The Drive between October 4 to October 29. This will enable the teams to work safely. The main relining work will take place every Wednesday between 7am to 8pm.

Cleaning and CCTV work will take place during the other days, and tankers will be used on Wednesdays while the relining is taking place to ensure customers can continue to use their facilities. Access for properties will be maintained throughout.

Abigail added: “We will be ensuring the local community is kept up-to-date on progress throughout the work, and we have written to those customers in the nearby area in advance to explain the detail of our activities. Our aim is to make these improvements while reducing disruption as much as possible.

“The work carried out will protect the sewers, environment and community for years to come but everyone can play their part to keep sewers in tip top condition by only putting the 3 Ps down the toilet (pee, poo and (toilet) paper and to only put water down their sinks - cooking fat should go in the bin.”

To find out more about the project and to keep up to date on progress, visit the Anglian Water website www.anglianwater.co.uk/yourarea (type in the road name and click Maintenance and Improvements on the Key).