Future made clear

27/06/2007

Seventy thousand Wearside residents will reap the benefits of essential improvement work to maintain and improve drinking water quality.

Northumbrian Water is to upgrade more than 100 kilometres of water main by the summer of this year.

The water company has already invested £5.9 million to upgrade 90 kilometres of water main in Sunderland, including the City Centre, Hendon, areas of Grangetown and Hillview, Ashbrooke, Deptford and Millfield and is now to upgrade a further 14 kilometres at a cost of £1 million.

Kevin Fleming, Northumbrian Water’s Project Manager, said: “The next phase of work, which was due to take place in May but will now begin this week, will take up to six weeks to complete.  We will be working on sections of Belvedere Road and Stockton Road next to the Civic Centre. 

“During this phase of work customers’ water supply will be maintained through re-routing water supplies and the use of overland temporary pipes.  We are working closely with Sunderland City Council to plan the required traffic management and everything will be done to keep any inconvenience to a minimum.”

The work to upgrade water mains in Sunderland began in April 2005 and will improve the quality of tap water and safeguard water supplies for future generations to tens of thousands of customers.

If customers, especially those with special needs, have any queries or concerns they should ring the Northumbrian Water Customer Centre on 0845 717 1100.

Bogus callers are known to operate in Northumbrian Water’s supply area.  It is unlikely that anyone from the water company will need access into a customer’s property while this work is carried out.  If customers are in any doubt about the validity of a caller claiming to be from Northumbrian Water or the ‘water board’ they should ring the Northumbrian Water Customer Centre.

For further peace of mind customers can also register a password – if anyone from the water company needs to access a registered customer’s home they will know the password.  They should either ring the Customer Centre or log onto www.nwl.co.uk to register.

ends

For further information please contact Joanne Robertson on 0191 301 6733.