Anglian Water remove 15 elephants worth of unflushables - and a number of crowbars - from Peterborough sewer

During the refurbishment 400 meters of the main sewer network in Thorpe Road, Peterborough Anglian Water has removed the unflushable debris, as well as large rocks, bricks and a number of crowbars.

This was the first scheme in the water company’s multi-million-pound upgrade programme in Peterborough to help maintain the sewer network and prolong the life of the existing sewers and protect the local environment.

The £1.3million scheme in Thorpe Road which began in September has now been completed. The work involved proactively refurbishing the entire length of the sewer in the area to reduce the risk of burst pipes and protecting the environment at the time.

Nicola Harvey from Anglian Water said: “We are amazed at how much debris and rubbish was found in the sewer all of which can cause huge problems if not cleared. Putting anything other than the 3 Ps (Pee, Poo and Paper) down into the sewer can not only damage the pipes but can have a devastating impact on the local environment should the sewer become blocked.

“Peterborough is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK. It is essential for us to ensure our network is running smoothly, which is why we are investing in the area to ensure our pipes are working as they should.

“Sewer rehabilitations such as the work undertaken on Thorpe Road will ensure the infrastructure can continue to run without the risk to the environment, but we would ask our customers to do their bit to help protect them too.”

In total, Anglian Water is investing £27million across Peterborough over the next two years in work to improve the sewer network, install almost 100,000 upgraded water meters and reduce the risk of flooding through installing sustainable drainage solutions.

Nicola added: “Our engineers are using the latest technology and innovative solutions to help reduce any impact or disruption our work might have had on local residents. The methods we have used along Thorpe Road have prevented us needing to dig open trenches, meaning less road closures as repairs taking place underground, and less inconvenience for our customers.

“Similarly, in Great Haddon, our teams have successfully installed new water mains without any disruption to the community by completing work in nearby fields away from roadways and during school holidays.”

Additional work on the water recycling network will take place in Marlborough and Yaxley next year, and also at Peterborough’s main Water Recyling Centre at Flag Fen is also receiving a £16million upgrade so it can support the growing city for years to come.