The Southern Water wastewater treatment project is being delivered by Brighton and Hove 4Delivery Ltd, a Costain joint venture.
'Alice', one of two 2.4m- diameter TBMs, has now broken through at Marine Drive Pumping Station, completing the first of three drives to link the existing Victorian sewer system to a new Wastewater Treatment Works being constructed at Peacehaven as part of the scheme. A total of 11km of tunnels are being constructed through the chalk at between 8m and 42m underground.
4Delivery infrastructure project manager for the scheme, Craig Reade, said: "This is a fantastic achievement by the team. The first tunnel breakthrough is a significant milestone in this complex project and I am pleased to share with our client the recognition of the site team's hard work and effort since the start of the project over a year ago."
'Alice' now returns to Ovingdean where she will be re-launched in early December to bore a second 3.6km tunnel to Portobello Pumping Station. A second TBM, 'Hollyblue', is currently 1,500m into a 3,732m tunnel drive from the treatment works site to Portobello Pumping Station, to complete the connection between the existing sewer network and the new treatment works.
The scheme is being built to treat the 95m litres of wastewater generated each day by the residents of Peacehaven, Telscombe Cliffs, Ovingdean, Rottingdean, Saltdean and Brighton and Hove, so that this area meets European standards on wastewater treatment.
Further information on the scheme can be found at: www.southernwater.co.uk/cleanerseas.
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