Wessex Water’s £15 million Frome Valley relief sewer scheme has entered the final phase.

The scheme will provide additional capacity for large new housing developments in the area, diverting wastewater flows from South Gloucestershire to Bristol sewage treatment works in Avonmouth.

The water company is constructinga 5km long pipe that will run from Iron Acton, north of Frampton Cotterell, and then westwards to Bradley Stoke.

Tunnelling has taken place from the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve in Bradley Stoke, with great care being taken to protect wildlife and preserve natural habitats.  

Project manager Mike Bryant said:

"The tunnelling under the M4 has been successful and we are in the process of completing manhole and sewer connections in the area.

"Work in the local nature reserve will be complete and the site will be reinstated by the end of March 2018.”

Wessex Water has excavated up to 3.1km and crossed numerous features such as the River Frome, although the sewer is predominantly being constructed across fields and has had minimal impact on the public.

The first sections of the Frome Valley relief sewer were laid in areas of North Bristol and Yate during the 1980s and 1990s.

The new pipeline, due for completion in June, will enable the utility to provide sewerage services to new developments in areas such as Yate, Emersons Green, Bradley Stoke and Filton.