FAQs

South West Water is investing £2.8 million in a new storm storage tank at Lostwithiel to protect the River Fowey.

The project is required to ensure South West Water can meet its obligation under the Environment Agency's Shellfish Water Pollution Reduction Plan, which is part of the National Environmental Protection scheme for the protection of shellfish.

Waste water stored in the tank will be treated as usual at Lostwithiel Sewage Treatment Works, approximately one kilometre downstream, once the volume of water received by the pumping station has returned to normal.

The underground tank will be 20 metres diameter and 10 metres deep. Once it is completed, you won't be able to see anything apart from a kiosk and some metal lids one metre above ground.

Work will be starting on Monday 11 June 2012.

We need to finish work by the end of March 2013 to meet the Environment Agency's deadline.

We looked at four potential access routes before choosing Coffee Lake Meadow. After residents expressed concern about that route, we worked with the local landowner, Network Rail, Cornwall Council (Highways), ecological consultants and the Environment Agency to review all the potential access routes again.

Yes. We looked at four potential access routes:

We worked with the local landowner, Network Rail, Cornwall Council (Highways), ecological consultants and the Environment Agency to review all the potential access routes.

We had been due to start work in mid-February 2012, but delayed this after we were contacted by several residents in the Coffee Lake Meadow area expressing concern about the route of the access road.

We fully understand that the selected route will have an impact on the residents of Coffee Lake Meadow, Trewithan Park and Coffa Bridge Close.

No. Road closures will not be needed.

Following two meetings of the residents' liaison group, we are happy to have been able to address the community's main concern by reducing the number of HGV movements through Coffee Lake Meadow by half during the scheme. This has been made possible by reducing the volume of material imported for the construction of the temporary access road and, subject to planning approval, spreading the excavated earth over the field instead of taking it off site.

All HGV vehicles going in and out of the compound will be controlled by a gatekeeper to reduce traffic congestion.

We will water and brush the road in dry weather to minimise any dust. A temporary hard-standing area will be constructed at the entrance to the site where vehicles will be cleaned before they exit the site and enter Coffee Lake Meadow.

Where possible, all HGV movements through Coffee Lake Meadow will be planned between 8.45am and 3.30pm from Monday to Friday. Unplanned exceptions are inevitable but will be minimised. This will be discussed in advance with the residents' representative. We will consult residents if any weekend working is necessary.

We do not anticipate working after 6pm each day on site. If this is likely to occur, residents will be consulted before this takes place. We will advise residents if any weekend working is necessary.

During the works we will erect a fence along the back of Coffee Lake Meadow to help screen the site from view.

At times we may have to restrict parking at bends to allow HGVs access, but we are hoping to avoid this and will work with local residents if we need to restrict parking.

A dedicated single point of contact will be assigned to this project during its lifespan and the name and contact details of this individual will be available. Alternatively customers can always call our 24-hour Services Helpline on 0800 169 1144.

We will ensure that before we leave the area we engage with both local residents and Cornwall Council highways department to assess the condition of the roads and the surrounding area.