A £3m project to ensure a resilient water supply for the Isle of Sheppey in Kent is now underway.
Southern Water is investing in a total of four pipelines, including two existing ones, located along the Kingsferry Bridge and under The Swale.
There will also be cross connections between the pipelines so water can be moved from one pipeline to another, giving the people of Sheppey a far more reliable water supply.
This summer, the Isle of Sheppey suffered from a loss of water supply during drought conditions, resulting in Southern Water and its partners delivering almost 1 million litres of bottled water to the island and directly to vulnerable customers.
Katy Taylor, Chief Customer Officer at Southern Water, said:
“This summer’s burst caused major disruption and distress to residents and businesses in Sheppey, and we have been working as quickly as possible to ensure that this does not happen again.
“I am delighted that we have been able to get construction underway, and we are confident that these new and improved pipelines will provide water resilience for the Isle of Sheppey for years to come.”
Southern Water has worked closely with local councils, the Environment Agency, Natural England and other key stakeholders to gain the necessary consents.
The work is being carried out in a controlled and phased manner, to avoid any impact on current supplies.
To find out about the latest progress and for regular updates about the pipelines visit Isle of Sheppey (southernwater.co.uk)
Images taken from press event on 25 October
