Enhanced sewers to protect Minehead

A £150,000 investment to revitalise Minehead's sewers and help protect the environment will be completed this month.

More than 700 metres of wastewater pipes throughout the Somerset coastal town will be refurbished as part of a Wessex Water project to maintain the condition of the system for another 50 years. It follows regular inspections that revealed defects that could worsen unless they are renovated.

Work will take place at several sites throughout March but instead of digging up long stretches of road and causing widespread disruption locally, excavations will instead be kept to a minimum, using robots and specialist equipment working deep underground.

The project will see the pipes relined and sealed to ensure they are structurally sound. These repairs also prevent foul water from escaping from the system as well as stopping groundwater entering it, with the latter often leading to flooding or storm overflows automatically discharging into rivers or the sea if the system becomes overwhelmed by sustained heavy rain.

A Wessex Water spokesperson said: “Our regular inspections have revealed a number of defects in the sewers in this area that need repairing and this work will also help to protect the environment by the boosting integrity of the pipes.

“We will be using ‘no-dig’ techniques to ensure the project can be completed quickly and less intrusively than completely excavating and replacing the pipes in a conventional fashion.

“As we are relining these sewers we may work later into the evenings at stages during this project. We have been in contact with residents and businesses close to where the work is taking place to inform them and apologise for any inconvenience caused.’’

Work will take place in three phases across Minehead, starting between Monday 6 and Friday 10 March, with separate closures on St Michael’s Road and Burgundy Road, followed by the closure of Church Path between Monday 13 and Friday 17 March.

Between Wednesday 15 and Friday 17 March, two-way traffic lights will be in place on Parkhouse Road.