More than 30km of a new water pipeline has been built in the first phase of a major investment to protect the North East’s water supplies.
Completion of engineering work on Phase 1 of Northumbrian Water’s Project Pipeline: County Durham and Tees Valley represents a major breakthrough for the project.
The long-term investment includes a total 57km of new pipeline, connecting water treatment in Upper Teesdale with communities across the south of County Durham and into the Tees Valley.
This aim is to build resilience in local water supplies and protect drinking water quality.
The route was designed to maximise the use of gravity, minimising energy consumption by significantly reducing the reliance on pumping and reducing operating costs to help protect customers’ bills.
Project manager James Dawes said: “The first phase of Project Pipeline: County Durham and Tees Valley has been a massive undertaking.
“Our project team, and the blue pipes that make up our pipeline, have become a familiar site for those who live or work across Teesdale, but in the coming months, the final visual signs of our work will continue to disappear from those areas, as the reinstatement work takes hold.
“Many of the pipes we have replaced were over 100 years old, and the route we have taken was designed not only to utilise the force of gravity to drive the flow of water – rather than energy- consuming pumps – but also to avoid passing through the town of Barnard Castle.
“So, we are not only creating a pipeline that reduces operational carbon consumption, but we will also ultimately be able to take some larger mains passing through towns out of use, to minimise the risk of disruption to customers from things like bursts.”
The £92.5m first phase involved laying new pipes between Lartington Water Treatment Works and storage reservoirs at Whorley and Shildon.
Along the 33km Phase 1 route, engineers completed:
15 road crossings, including tunnelling beneath the A68 arterial road – one of three A roads crossed – to avoid impacting motorists
Tunnelling and laying dual pipes beneath the River Tees, passing between specially constructed shafts on either side of the river, to avoid disturbing the local watercourse, wildlife and environment.
Work was carried out by Northumbrian Water’s partner, Farrans Construction. The project included work experience placements, four new apprenticeships, business mentoring and education, volunteering, charitable donations and school visits.
The team is now working with landowners to finalise reinstatement of working areas and restore the land to its previous state or better.
The company has also embarked on a 31-year project near Shildon to enhance 15 hectares of low-quality grassland and diversity wildlife habitat.
James added: “We would like to thank the people across our working area for their patience and understanding while we carried out this work.
“We know that at times it has caused disruption, and that we have been a very visible part of the landscape, but this investment will leave a legacy of an improved water network for the future, across the south of County Durham and into the Tees Valley.”
