South East Water has started work on a major £12 million pipeline project to improve water supply in East Kent.
The project, to lay 16 kilometres of new pipe will increase the flexibility and resilience of the company’s network, enabling it to switch water around more easily when supplies are disrupted.
This is the first phase of a two year programme with 2.7 kilometres of pipe initially being laid in the Doddington area and then a further 5.7 kilometres across the North Downs from the company’s cleaned water reservoirs in Warren Street to Charing.
Matthew Cooper, Project Manager for South East Water, said:
“This is an ambitious project for South East Water, and will connect our drinking water storage tank near Warren Street, Maidstone to the one at Potters Corner, Ashford, giving us greater flexibility to move water between the two sites.
“The project was brought forward in response to the issues faced by many of our customers during the peak of the summer season last year, when demand for water was outstripping the rate we could pump cleaned drinking water around our network. This vital work is one of a number of projects we’re undertaking to increase the resilience of our network.”
To prepare for pipework being laid, South East Water has been carrying out a number of surveys and advance clearance of vegetation to ensure there is minimal disruption to the ecology and history of the area.
Matthew Cooper continued:
“As we are very conscious of the impact of our work could have on the environment fingertip searches have been conducted across the fields where the pipe is due to be laid. We have approval in place with Natural England to make sure any protected species we discover are safely moved from the site to a suitable habitat away from the working area. Nesting birds will be left undisturbed until we’re sure the nests are no longer being used.
“We are working closely with archaeologists as the route also comes close to the ancient Pilgrims’ Way trail. We are expecting to find items of historical importance and have already uncovered remnants of tiles and pieces of pottery which have been sent away for specialist analysis.
“As we’re keen to have as minimal impact on the environment as possible we have solar panels to power our main generator and are enhancing the environment we cross with additional planting when we restore our working areas.”
The first phase of the work will take place until autumn 2023.
Phase two, laying pipework from Charing to Potters Corner near Ashford, will begin next year.
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