Souhern Water is starting work today on the next phase of a £5 million mains upgrade to future-proof water mains on the Isle of Wight.

The water company has already replaced more than 4,000 metres of pipes – some dating from the mid-Victorian period – and will shortly start work updating another 1,500m on Horsebridge Hill and Elenors Grove, Fishbourne.

There have been multiple bursts along the aging mains in the past decade, and the upgrades will reduce the need for emergency works, as well as avoiding interruptions to water supply, and helping cut leakage. 

 The mains replacement programme has been carefully planned around summer holidays and the Island’s event schedule, and was developed in partnership with Island Roads, which provides highway services.

One-way traffic management will be in place from Cowes to Newport from 26 January to 17 April, with controlled access for buses and emergency services. The A3054 Elenors Grove will be closed from Fishbourne to Ryde with diversions in place from 2 February to 10 April.

Nicholas Marshall, Southern Water’s Senior Project Manager, said:

“We know that roadworks are frustrating and would like to assure people that our teams are working to complete these essential upgrades as quickly as possible, while prioritising safety.

We’ve made good progress on the upgrade programme so far, replacing more than 4km of outdated Island mains, with another 1,500m due from the end of this month. Over the course of 2026 we will replace another 7,000m across the Island, reducing the need for emergency works due to bursts, and interruption to supply.”