Shropshire Star

Water firm's Telford pipeline scheme is on target

A multi-million pound water scheme to protect water supplies to Telford should be completed by the autumn.

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Severn Trent says a five-mile pipeline between Weeping Cross and Uckington on the outskirts of Telford, is the key part of the £13.6 million project.

However the scheme will have to be officially commissioned before it comes on-stream next year.

Known as the Telford Resilience works, the project also includes the building of a new pumping station.

Ian Collins, the Severn Trent area manager, said: "The Telford Resilience scheme is designed to protect the water supplies of tens of thousands of people in the event of a long term failure of the boreholes or water treatment works supplying Shrewsbury and Telford.

"The main element of the project is a new 600mm diameter, 7.4km water main between Weeping Cross in Shrewsbury and Uckington."

Mr Collins said that the pipeline had three major crossings – the River Severn, the River Tern and the A5 which are being done by tunnelling.

"There is also the construction of a new pumping station on our existing borehole site at Uckington," he added.

Because the pipleine passes close to one of Shropshire's most important historic sites, Severn Trent has had to take great care to ensure archaeological steps are taken.

Mr Collins said: "The pipeline route passes close to the ancient Roman City of Wroxeter and we have carried out a watching archaeological brief for approximately half the length of the pipeline.

"There were no significant finds but the work has enabled theories about the development of Wroxeter to be refined."

Work on the pipeline started in July 2013 by contractors Amey and it is due to finish on site this autumn. However it will the be commissioned from autumn onwards with a completion date of March 2015. "The project is approaching the half way stage of a 20-month construction period," Mr Collins said.

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