Severn Trent Water is investing £3 million to renew the water mains supplying customers in the Normanton and Arboretum areas of Derby.

Severn Trent’s contractors, Laing O’Rourke will help to carry out the work to replace 15,500 metres of water mains and service pipes to almost 4,500 properties. Many of the pipes being replaced have been serving the community since the early 1900s, which has meant an increase in leaks and in some cases bursts, affecting water supply to our customers.

Work is scheduled to begin in the week commencing 24 September 2012 and should take approximately two years to complete, the utility said.

Nigel McGuinness, programme manager for Severn Trent said:

"This work is essential to ensure we can continue to provide our customers in the Normanton and Arboretum areas of Derby with a reliable supply of drinking water, while keeping leaks to a minimum.

"We have made a commitment to reduce leakage by 2015 because we know customers see leaks as a waste and want more to be done to prevent them. At the same time Severn Trent customers will have the lowest average bills in England and Wales.”