Cleaning and maintaining our big water pipes and trunk mains
As part of our on-going investment in the North West's water network, we are undertaking a fourteen year cleaning and maintenance programme that will improve even further the region's drinking water quality. From 2006-2020 we are targeting our largest and most important water mains which between them supply drinking water to over five million customers every day.
- We are cleaning and refurbishing over 555km of our largest water mains
- We are cleaning and refurbishing over 244km of our trunk mains
- Over the next Amp (2010 - 2015) we are investing over £133 million in the clean-up and maintenance of both the large water mains and trunk mains
- The programme will benefit over 5 million customers throughout the North West, leading to a reduction in discoloured water and improved water quality
It is a massive undertaking and one which has never been attempted within the water industry on this scale before. As the work involves cleaning the inside of our largest pipes, there is a risk that our customers may experience some disruption to their water supply during the programme. However, we will do whatever we can to minimise any disruption and will always try to give customers prior warning if their water supply is to be affected.
Cleaning and refurbishing our water mains
The programme is to clean and refurbish our most important water mains. These pipes transport large amounts of water from our treatment works to our customers. The size of the pipes varies between 25" - 72" (630mm - 1800mm).
Some sections of these mains date back many decades and over time, deposits of iron and manganese have coated the inside lining of the pipes. Although not harmful to health, these deposits can look unsightly if they are dislodged and appear in our drinking water.
The scope of the work, therefore, is to remove these deposits from the inside of our largest water mains.
Concessionary Supplies
We have over 300 customers who receive treated water from local sources outside of our network. Over the next asset management period we will be undertaking a number of projects to connect these customers to the nearest practical water main.
The first of these projects will be to connect customers in the Slaidburn area, work is due to commence during the summer of 2010 and is expected to be complete by spring 2011.
If you have any specific questions, please email cleanandmaintain@uuplc.co.uk