Water supply in Hexham

 

At Northumbrian Water, we are committed to ensuring that the drinking water we supply to our customers, throughout the region, is of excellent quality. We are currently carrying out a major improvement programme to upgrade the water pipes in Hexham and the surrounding area. This improvement work, which will also improve water pressure, reduce leakage and safeguard water supplies for future generations, began in April 2005 and around 47 kilometres (29 miles) of old cast iron water pipes are being renewed or relined at a cost of £3 million.

The town centre phase is now, with essential improvement work continuing in the Tynedale town. Northumbrian Water began a £3 million scheme to upgrade 47 kilometres of water main in Hexham in April last year. Workmen have moved into the town centre to renew 600-metre sections of two water mains, which run from the junction of Battle Hill and Beaumont Street to the junction of Priestpopple and Chisholm Place. Traffic lights will be used for the town centre work, which will last up to 12 weeks. During the first two weeks preparatory work was carried out and work to upgrade the water main on the northside of the road began on Monday January 30.

Improvement work on the northside of the road will last about five weeks and then work to upgrade the water main on the southside of the road will begin. The work on the southside of the road, also from the junction of Battle Hill and Beaumont Street to the junction of Priestpopple and Chisholm Place, will take about another five weeks to complete.

Project manager for the scheme, Ken Rutledge, said: "This work is essential to ensure the water supply is safeguarded for the future - we are renewing these two sections of water main and the new plastic pipes should last for a century. We have avoided carrying out this section of the work during last Summer and Christmas and we aim to finish it by Easter. We will do everything we can, including working seven days a week, to complete the work as quickly as possible and meet customers' requirements." Northumberland County Council's executive member for highways, John Smith, said: "We have been in full consultation with all concerned and I am confident the scheme will go ahead as planned with minimum disruption."

If you require any further information or advice now or during the work, please contact our Customer Centre on 0845 717 1100 where we will be pleased to help.

Find out more information in the Improving your water supply leaflet.