Mains cleaning programme
Northumbrian Water is currently undertaking a trunk mains cleaning programme. The £30 million improvement scheme, which began in February 2007 and will be complete by 2011, will involve cleaning the inside of or upgrading 156km of trunk water mains.
These are the large diameter pipes which transfer water around our network, we are currently working on trunk mains between Warkworth in Northumberland and the north of Newcastle. The work will improve and maintain tap water quality to 500,000 customers in South East Northumberland, North Tyneside and north of Newcastle. This will reduce the risk of discoloured water re-occurring once the project is complete.
As part of this project, work to clean 5km of pipe on
Whitley Road and
Great Lime Road will begin on
Monday 12 July 2010 and is expected to be completed by September. This area of the network is very sensitive to work on, and the risk of discolouration occurring is very high while we isolate the pipes for cleaning. This potential for discolouration is also the reason that we need to clean the trunk mains.
We need to move water around the network to ensure your supply is maintained during the work. It is highly likely that customers in the
Hadrian Park, Cochrane Park, Longbenton, Benton, Killingworth, Palmersville, Forest Hall, Willington, and
Wallsend areas will experience a temporary reduction in service as some discoloured water may occur for a few hours. There may also be a fluctuation in the pressure level as supplies are brought in through different routes.
Although we appreciate it is not pleasant, discoloured water is not harmful to health. If your supply is discoloured please run the first mains-fed tap in your property at a normal rate for up to 30 minutes. If your are one of our customers with a metered supply and you receive discoloured water during the course of this work please notify us and you may be given an allowance on your bill.
Washing machines, dishwashers and other appliances plumbed into the mains should only be used if the supply is running clear.