Northumbrian Water is laying 57km of water pipeline supply more than 200,000 people across County Durham and the Tees Valley in a £155m futureproofing investment.
Phase 1 of the project will connect Lartington water treatment works in Upper Teesdale with the town of Gainford and across to Shildon in County Durham. This is being constructed by Farrans Construction.
The project will see the replacement of sections of the network that have served the area for more than 100 years, alongside new stretches of pipeline.
Pipelaying started from Whorley reservoir and the teams are working in the directions of Lartington and Shildon.
A second phase is being planned, with work scheduled to start in 2025, further connecting the pipeline on to Teesside at Long Newton.
Northumbrian Water’s project manager James Dawes said: “This is one of the biggest ever investments in customers’ water supplies here in the northeast. Following years of planning and preparation, to ensure we can deliver this project in the best way possible, it’s fantastic to see the first pipes in the ground.
“There is still a long way to go, with Phase 1 scheduled to see us working into 2025, and Phase 2 for a further three years after that, but this is a huge milestone.”
Farrans Construction’s project manager Stephen Coates added: “We have been on site for the last two months making final preparations ahead of the pipe work being laid so this is an exciting milestone for this project, our client and our team. The route of the pipeline will cross the River Tees and we are constructing a tunnel to carry the pipe 12 metres below the river bed, close to the villages of Lartington and Cotherstone in Teesdale.”
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