Plans for the second phase of a £155m water pipeline upgrade will be on show at a series of events in June.
Northumbrian Water is inviting customers to meet the team behind Project Pipeline: County Durham and the Tees Valley, which aims to upgrade and futureproof its water supply network across the south of County Durham and into Teesside.
The project includes replacing some sections of the network that are more than 100 years old and installing 57km of new pipes, ultimately connecting Lartington Water Treatment Works with the company’s existing network that serves Teesside.
This will ensure around 200,000 customers in these areas continue to receive clean, clear and great tasting tap water, each and every day. Phase 1, connecting Lartington with Gainford, and across to Shildon, is already under construction. Phase 2 will link Gainford with Longnewton service reservoir, Stockton.
As the company prepares to submit planning applications to Darlington and Stockton On Tees borough councils, three events have been organised in the community to give customers an opportunity to meet the project team to learn more about the plans.
Subject to planning, construction on Phase 2 is expected to begin in Summer 2025, running until 2028.
Northumbrian Water is working with partners Stantec and Mott MacDonald on the project, as well as planning consultants Lichfields and land agents Bell Ingram.
The events will take place at:
• Monday 10 June 2024 - Sadberge Village Hall, Darlington Road, Sadberge, DL2 1SA
• Wednesday 12 June 2024 - Whessoe Parish Hall, Harrowgate Village, DL1 3AA
• Monday 17 June 2024 - Summerhouse Village Hall, nr Darlington, DL2 3UD
Each session will run from 3pm to 6pm.
Project Manager James Dawes said: “Our core service of delivering clean, clear and great tasting tap water is vital to the wellbeing of our customers and this major investment will help ensure we continue to provide the benefits this brings for around 200,000 customers across the south of County Durham and the Tees Valley.
“We want customers living near the route of the pipeline to understand our ambition for this investment, improving and futureproofing their water supply, and how we plan to do it.
“We are hoping to also get any views from customers, so we can feed these into our planning process.
“Alongside these events, we appreciate that not everyone who wants to have a say will be able to attend, so we have established a web page for them to find out more and give their views.”