30 September 2009
A burst water pipe that caused months of disruption to residents is finally fixed.
The 6" pipe on Common Edge Road burst frequently in the past three years triggering residents to lose their water supply.
North West water firm United Utilities are now fixing the problem pipes after months of delays that had angered residents in the past.
The last 350 meters of damaged pipe at the junction of Highfield Road with Common Edge Road, costing £35,000, will be fixed during the second week in October.
Earlier this year the Warrington based utility firm replaced most of the jigsaw of pipes on Common Edge Road, as part its £2.9 billion investment pledge to rid Blackpool of leaky old water pipes.
Engineers will burst their way through the 100-year old Victorian 6" cast iron main using a technique called 'pipe-insertion'. This involves a compressed air machine bursting the old cast iron pipe in half whilst installing a new high-tech plastic blue pipe, slightly larger inside the old water main.
Utility bosses said they planned to keep traffic chaos to a minimum as this method avoids the need to close roads, with the majority of work carried out underground.
Work gets underway on Monday 19th October, with four-way traffic lights going up at the junction of Highfield Road.
UU, which supplies seven million people across the North West with clean water and treats their sewerage, said there will be no need for anyone to enter properties during the 2-weeks of works and residents should check the identity of anyone cold calling at their home saying they are from the water board.
When completed residents will have the security and reliability of fresh water for the next 100-years. / ends