South East Water invest 400k to fix Cranbrook pipe: Road closures revealed

Published by

Sam Pither

South East Water have announced a five month, £400 000 upgrade to more than 1km of their infrastructure.

The works on a pipe in Cranbrook, Kent, which has burst 11 times in the past five years, will be replaced as part of the £400,000 investment.

Commencing on 31 October and taking approximately 15 weeks to complete, the work will see 1.1km of new pipeline laid, replacing the existing main supply line.

The investment feeds into South East Water’s wider £433 million five year investment programme, a part of which is the replacement of unreliable water mains which have been further weakened by this year’s extreme dry weather.

Jeremy Dufour, Project Manager for South East Water said: “With pipes that have come to the end of their working lives, we cannot predict when the bursts will happen, but when they do we know how much disruption they cause to local residents and road users.

“Schemes like this take time to plan, particularly when factors such as road closures are involved, and while they cause disruption to customers in the short term, they are crucial in reducing the number of bursts in the longer term. This ensures our customers continue to receive sufficient pressure and supply now and in the future.

“In Cranbrook, we will be replacing the water main between the property ‘The Gables’ and the junction with Mockbeggar Lane. There will be two phases of work, with the first section of road returned to its original state before we start the second.”

Jim MacIntyre, South East Water’s Head of Leakage Operations, said: “I’m delighted to see another project to replace these unreliable water mains about to start.

“Although the majority of bursts and leaks are repaired, where we have a consistently unreliable water main, engineering projects such as this scheme in Cranbrook Road are vital to improving our infrastructure.”

Cranbrook Road will be closed between Tenterden Road and the junction with Benenden Road while the work is carried out, with a diversion route, agreed by Kent Highways, clearly signed.

Jeremy added: “Road closures are always a last resort but this is vital to ensure the safety of our team and the public while we install the new pipe. Our team will work as quickly and safely as possible to complete the project as soon as possible.

“I would like to thank the community in advance for their patience and understanding while we carry out this essential work.”

Featured image credit: South East Water

Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset. A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise. Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.