CLAVERTON DOWN, Bath, United Kingdom, Feb. 9, 2007 -- Work began on Feb. 5 on a scheme to alleviate the risk of foul water flooding to a number of properties in West Coker Road, Yeovil.
The sewers in the road are currently overloaded and Wessex Water will be installing additional pipework, including more than 200 meters of 900mm diameter sewer, to store stormwater and reduce the risks of sewers flooding.
The size of the sewer being installed means that West Coker Road will be closed to through traffic, from its junction with Wraxhill Road to the Quicksilver Mill roundabout.
The work is scheduled to take 12 weeks and to be completed by late April at an investment of GBP 350,000 [US$682,444]. While the section of road will be closed for the duration of the work, access for residents will be maintained whenever possible, although on-street parking will be restricted.
"We looked at a number of other options, but after consultation with Somerset Highways Authority it was agreed that because of the scale of the work, the location of a number of existing services and the need to lay the 900mm pipe in the centre of the road, it could only safely be done with a road closure in place," said project manager Bruce McAuslane.
Wessex Water will be maximising working time and working weekends in order to finish the work as soon as possible and keep disruption to residents to a minimum.
"I'd like to reassure local people that we will do all we can to speed up this work, and to keep the disruption to an absolute minimum," said Bruce McAuslane.
"Sewer flooding is unacceptable in this day and age which is why we are committed to removing this risk to people's properties. This scheme will provide extra capacity in the network and reduce the risk of sewers flooding during periods of heavy rainfall."
The work in West Coker Road is part of Wessex Water's commitment to removing 800 properties from the risk of sewer flooding by 2010.
The operations centre for Wessex Water (www.wessexwater.co.uk) is based in Claverton Down, Bath, England.
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Also see:
-- "High tech solution to repair sewers in Rangeworthy"
-- "Vital repair work to Chippenham's crumbling sewers will prevent flooding and safeguard the environment"
-- "Investment combats sewer flooding in Trowbridge"
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