Work has started on a new £32m pipeline that is set to boost water supplies for Severn Trent customers in north Nottinghamshire.

In December, the water company announced the construction of a new pipeline that will link the Derwent Valley Aqueduct to Strelley Reservoir to the west of Nottingham, and Redhill Reservoir in the north-east of the city.

And now its teams have started work to lay pipes on private land near to Redhill Reservoir that will form part of a huge 16km pipeline that will mitigate the effects of climate change and future proof the network against any increases in demand. 

The project manager for Severn Trent’s Strelley to Redhill scheme, Michael Neely, said: “We’re extremely excited to finally get underway on what is one of Severn Trent’s biggest projects of 2024.

“When complete in two years’ time, this new pipeline will provide up to an extra 25 million litres of water per day to the area, the equivalent of over 130,000 full bathtubs.

“It will allow us to reduce the amount of water we take from boreholes and increase what we can take from reservoirs in the future, to account for changes in demand which could be caused by population growth or warmer weather - securing a continuous supply of water to thousands of households in north Nottinghamshire.”

Teams are due to start at the opposite end of the project in Strelley next month. A 12-week stretch of work will start on March 8 with Severn Trent laying pipes on land adjacent to Cossethay Drive, working its way up a section of Woodhouse Way, before going onto private land.

During this 12-week period, there will be various traffic management in place such as temporary lights and road closures to keep Severn Trent teams safe, as well as other road users.

A community drop-in session will take place at Strelley Hall on Tuesday 27 February 2024 between 3:30pm and 6:30pm for customers to ask any questions they have about this set of works, and the project in general.

Michael added: “We’re looking forward to seeing our customers at our drop-in session to talk about the wonderful benefits of this project, and the positive impact it will have.

“This is your chance to come and ask any questions you may have. We will be hosting several drop-ins at different stages of the project over the next few months with our partners Avove.

“It is our priority to keep traffic disruption to a minimum for everyone where possible, our roadworks will only take place on or near main highways where absolutely necessary, ensuring we deliver this important project to our customers with minimal inconvenience.”

Severn Trent will be working with utilities infrastructure and engineering services company Avove to deliver this project. The company has been working alongside Severn Trent for several months to identify opportunities and efficiencies along the pipeline route to minimise disruption and deliver sustainable and cost-effective solutions.