Whickham flood scheme in the pipeline

27/07/2010

Residents in Whickham are to benefit from a sewerage network upgrade.

Northumbrian Water is to invest £600,000 on a three-month improvement scheme, to reduce the risk of flooding to five properties at Douglas Gardens and Knightside Gardens.

This essential work will begin on Monday, August 9 2010 and will involve installing a total of 138 metres of new sewer pipe at Douglas Gardens, Knightside Gardens, West Way and in land adjacent to West Way.

An underground, 385,000 litre storm water storage tank will also be built in land opposite West Way. In times of heavy rainfall wastewater will be stored in the tank, to be returned to the sewerage network after the storm.

Angela Hardcastle, Northumbrian Water’s project manager for the scheme, said: “Reducing the risk of flooding is one of Northumbrian Water’s main priorities, and this scheme is part of a £1.2 billion investment between 2010 and 2015 to upgrade our vast water and sewerage networks.”

It will be necessary to have traffic management in place during the course of the essential work. All dates are provisional and subject to change.

Location	Traffic management	Dates
Douglas Gardens	Road closure, at the junction next to 2 Douglas Gardens	Monday August 9 2010 to Wednesday September 22 2010
Knightside Gardens	Two-way traffic lights	Wednesday September 22 2010 to Friday September 24 2010
West Way	Traffic management with priority signs in place	Monday September 27 2010 to Monday October 11 2010

Construction traffic will need access to the area where the work is being carried out, and the site compound, located at West Way, near the junction with Pentland Gardens.

Residents in the affected areas will receive information about the work in writing.

Everything will be done, through careful planning with Gateshead Council, to keep any disruption to a minimum. Customers who require further advice or have any special needs should ring Northumbrian Water on 0845 717 1100 or log on to www.nwl.co.uk.

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 the Whickham area. 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.

For more information contact Leanne Clough on 0191 301 6733.