£1m flows in to replace water pipes in Bognor

A £1m-plus scheme to replace water pipes around Bognor Regis has been announced.

Portsmouth Water will spend a year replacing more than five kilometres which are at least 50 years old in the north of the town and Bersted.

It is not known yet when work will start. Talks are being held with highways officers at West Sussex County Council to keep disruption to a minimum.

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Mike Dannatt, Portsmouth Water's senior project manager, said: "This scheme is part of our continuing drive to reduce the leaks, bursts and supply interruptions that tend to occur with PVC and old cast iron mains.

"Many of the mains we will be replacing were laid before 1955."

A total of 18 roads will have 5,200m of old mains and the associated valves, hydrants and stopcock supplying properties replaced.

Work in each may take up to six months to complete. A Portsmouth Water representative will be available full time during the year to deal with inquiries.

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The scheme comes several years after a similar major replacement programme around central Bognor. That was one of nine blanket mains renewal schemes, as Portsmouth Water calls them, to be completed since 1990.

"Although the whole contract is anticipated to last 12 months, the period of disruption in each road will be much less.

"Vehicle access to properties may be restricted on the odd day when mainlaying obstructs people's driveways, but affected local residents will receive advance warning if this is likely.

"Inevitably, work of this type involves some disruption, but by consulting with those affected, we hope that any inconvenience can be minimised," Mr Dannatt said.

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"We are consulting all interested parties such as Arun District Council, West Sussex County Council highways, schools, businesses and residents before starting work.

"This will ensure everyone has a chance to express their views regarding the proposed scheme. We will take account of these wherever it is practicable to do so."

Roads which will be affected:

The roads where renewal will take place are: Mansfield Road, Greenwood Close, Laburnum Grove, Sandymount Close, Greenwood Avenue, Durlston Drive, Hazel Road, Corbishley Road, Oak Grove, Ash Grove, Sycamore Road, Maple Gardens, Woodlands Road, Durban Road, Chestnut Grove, Byfield Place, Dickinson Place and Christie Place.

A trench will be dug in which to lay the new main. Once that has happened, the excavation is filled and the trench temporarily reinstated.

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This stays, though Portsmouth Water admits it may not match surrounding materials, until the new main has been chlorinated and pressure tested.

Small excavations are then dug to transfer customers' supplies from the old to the new main.

The work ends with a reinstatement of the trench.

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