Work begins to replace 4.5km of water pipes in Milton Bryan and Potsgrove
Work has begun to replace four and a half kilometres of water pipes in Milton Bryan and Potsgrove.
The upgrade, which is being overseen by Anglian Water, is expected to cost £828,000 and is due to be completed by the end of the year.
The new pipes will be installed by a technique called directional drilling - which is designed to put the new pipes underground without the need to dig up large areas.
Once installed, the new pipes are connected to the existing water network, with the possibility that customers’ supplies may be interrupted during this period.
Traffic management will be in place during some parts of the work, with road closures planned on Church End Road from September 8 until October 6, and London Road between October 6 and November 24.
Anglian Water reported that there had been 25 instances of its water pipes bursting in the past in the five years in the area.
The project’s customer experience specialist Ashton Carradine said: “We operate in the driest region of the country, but the East of England is also one of the fastest growing.
“As part of our Water Resources Management Plan, this project will help make sure we can keep taps running and toilets flushing for residents in and around Potsgrove and Milton Bryan for years to come.
“To do this work safely, we need to work in and around local roads, as going through fields and verges would be too difficult because of tree roots, bushes, ditches and underground services like gas pipes and electricity cables.
“The roads are too narrow to work safely and still allow traffic to pass, so we’ll need to close them fully while we install the pipe.
“We’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we carry out this essential work."