16/05/2008

Hundreds of thousands of pounds will be invested to reduce the risk of homes flooding.

Northumbrian Water is investing £800,000 to upgrade 750 metres of sewer pipe and two combined sewer overflows in Leamside, near Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear.  

The improvement work is to begin on Monday, May 19 2008 and will take up to five months to complete.

In times of extremely heavy rainfall the sewerage network has struggled to cope with the volume of water which has resulted in internal flooding to two properties and external flooding at a further six properties in Pithouse Lane.

Combined sewer overflows are designed, and consented by the Environment Agency, to discharge diluted wastewater into watercourses in times of very heavy rainfall to protect properties and surrounding land from flooding.   

Phillip Hicks, Northumbrian Water’s project manager, said:  “Reducing the risk of property flooding is one of Northumbrian Water’s priorities and this is one of dozens of improvement schemes we will be carrying out, throughout the region, over the next couple of years to upgrade our vast sewerage network.

“By upgrading and screening the combined sewer overflows we will also improve water quality in the River Wear.”

It will be necessary to have traffic management in place, for a short period of time, during the course of this essential work.  This will involve having temporary traffic lights on Pithouse Lane near the junction with Cocken Road.

Customers who require further information or who have special needs should ring Northumbrian Water’s customer centre on 0845 717 1100.

It is very unlikely that anyone from the water company will need to gain access into customers’ homes while the work is being carried out in Leamside.  Access may be required to manholes located on private land.

If customers are in any doubt of a caller claiming to be from the water company, they should not let them into their home.  They should ring the company’s customer centre to confirm the caller’s identity.

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For further information contact Cara Hall on 0191 301 6720.