Okehampton sewer improvements finish ahead of schedule

Okehampton sewer renewal

South West Water has refurbished or replaced 4,000 metres of sewer serving around 3,500 residents in the Okehampton area.

The scheme is part of a five-year £42 million investment in the sewer network across the region to renovate public sewers which have been identified as being at risk of collapse.

Work started in Okehampton on Sunday 11 July 2010 and finished earlier than planned on Thursday 19 August 2010.

It was planned with Devon County Council's highways department to take place during the summer holidays, to enable Mill Street to be used as a diversion route without the additional traffic to Okehampton College.

Project manager Stephen Cross said: "We'd like to thank all our customers for their patience during this essential work.

"Without investment, the sewer network would continue to deteriorate and this could lead to collapses – which cause pollution, flooding and odour.

"We worked closely with the Okehampton and District Chamber of Trade and Okehampton Town Council to support businesses and minimised disruption to the public as far as possible during the work."

Using the latest technology, South West Water's contractors employed 'no dig' techniques wherever possible to minimise disruption to residents, businesses and traffic. However, the location of some sewers meant that under the New Roads and Street Works Acts some of the roads in the area had to be closed for health and safety reasons.

All businesses, schools, hospitals and care homes affected were visited by a Customer Liaison Officer before work started. All emergency services and other service providers were informed.

Notes to editors

• South West Water provides water and sewerage services to over 1.65 million residents across Devon, Cornwall and parts of Somerset and Dorset.
• South West Water operates 634 sewage treatment works and 39 water treatment works.
• South West Water maintains 9,221km of public sewers (enough to stretch from England to China) and 15,042km of water mains (enough to stretch from Exeter to Australia).
• On average, half a billion litres of sewage arrives at South West Water's treatment works every day.

Published: 26 August 2010

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