Severn Trent Water is progressing work on several major £ multi-million sewer projects to upgrade its network.

The firm is investing over £550,000 into installing larger sewers and storm water storage tanks to protect customers from sewer flooding in Messingham, where sewers are now struggling to work during times of heavy rainfall.

Severn Trent Water manager, Tim Sawyer said the improvements to Messingham’s sewer system were needed  because homes have suffered from sewer flooding in the past .

A separate £5 million scheme to prevent sewer flooding in Cheltenham moves into a new phase this week, as the water company starts two months of work to move water pipes ahead of installing new, bigger sewers in the new year. Solution manager Wayne Ellis said Severn Trent is investing heavily in Cheltenham to ensure customers are better protected from the terrible impact of sewer flooding.

The work, which will be carried out by the firm’s contract partners Laing O’Rourke and NMCNomenca, is expected to last until April 2015.

In Stafford, a separate £15 million project to upgrade both the water and sewer pipes started in earnest in September.

Ruth Farrell, programme manager said:

“The water pipes in Stafford have now grown old and they’re prone to leaks and bursts.  When this happens, drinking water supplies can be affected.  To help prevent this from happening in the future, we’re investing £10 million to install more than 20 kilometres of new water pipes which will run from the Shugborough area into Stafford town centre.”

While the sewers in and around Stafford are in good condition the towns is expanding rapidly. To accommodate the commercial and residential growth in the area, and to prevent the sewers from being overwhelmed, Severn Trent Water is  also investing another £5 million to upgrade two major sewage pumping stations and to install five kilometres of new sewers in and around the town.