Southern Water has completed an £18 million sewer upgrade in Thanet that will help reduce the risk of flooding in the area - some of the sewers beneath the streets in Thanet are more than 100 years old.

The water company has been carrying out surveys and repairs to make sure they’re fit for the future. Tactics included relining and sealing pipes internally using the latest technology. Sewer sealing involves inserting specially manufactured high strength sock into an existing pipe. It is then inflated and cured in place with UV light, creating a strong, seamless lining.

Work started in May 2022 - since then Southern Water has re-mapped 112 kilometres of its sewers with CCTV, allowing it to focus in on 20 kilometre where work was needed most.

The water company’s teams have also surveyed 500 manhole covers, replaced multiple manhole covers while internally relining 218 sewers, and excavating and repairing 38 sewers.

Gus Winterbottom, Project Manager at Southern Water said:

“We’ve used mining experts to access ageing chalk tunnels because they’re so deep underground. We’ve also accessed the tunnels through manholes and used state-of-the-art CCTV surveys.

“The project surveyed and fixed the sewer network across Margate, Birchington, Westbrook, and Cliftonville and this work will help prevent flooding and help the environment.”

Partners that were part of the project included: Kent County Council, Cappagh Browne, Clancy, UK Power Networks, ArcGIS, Conway, SGN, Adler & Allen and TMS (Traffic Management Services).