Water firm aims to wrap up work by Christmas

Lauren Everitt • Published 19 Dec 2008 12:00 0 Comments

WATER chiefs have pledged that road closures in place for the installation of a major new mains will be lifted in time for Christmas.

South East Water has been laying a pipeline under London Road, North Ascot, from Swinley Road to Priory Road, as part of a new 17km water main linking Bray and Swinley Forest.

The London Road section was originally scheduled for completion within in 20 weeks, but this was extended to 26 weeks following hold ups over the Royal Ascot race meeting in June and other unforeseen problems.

Bosses now say the work should be completed by Christmas Eve, allowing the affected roads to be reopened.

SEW engineering manager

Gordon Percy said: "Every effort is being made to have it finished in time for Christmas."

SEW say the work has been one of the most complicated and problematic parts of the entire scheme, which is designed to carry more than 20m litres of water a day.

Among the biggest headaches were the poor ground conditions in the area, as well as problems locating other utility services, such as gas pipes and electricity cables.

Mr Percy added: "We asked for and received plans from other utilities about where their pipes or cables were, but when we started construction we found additional electricity cables and foul sewers which weren't shown correctly on the plans."

He said work in Swinley Road was further delayed because of poor foundations at Victorian cottages near the London Road end.

The project has successfully used a technique called pipejacking, which involves workers digging

six-metre "launch pits" so that hydraulic jacks can be brought in to drive the water main into position.

SEW insists it has been sympathetic to local businesses, including Lavender Park Golf Course, which has lost trade because of the road closures.

SEW has put up extra road signs to remind people it is business as usual at the golf course.

The £17m pipe is expected to be ready by early spring - in time for the peak demand of the summer - and will provide an extra 23m litres of water a day into the regional distribution of South East Water.

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This article appeared in Villager 12 Dec 08

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