Children from local Horsendale Primary School visited the site to see the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) first hand. The pupils, who had provided art and took part in a competition to name  the machine, which will be used to help deliver parts of the scheme, also got the chance to learn about the ways in which water is delivered to their homes.

Project manager for Severn Trent’s Strelley to Redhill scheme, Michael Williamson, said: “It’s always fantastic to be able to include the local community at this stage of a project, especially from the next generation who will benefit massively from these works. It’s encouraging to see the support and interest shown by the local community who will see the direct benefits of this project.

“We’re futureproofing our network against the challenges of population growth and climate change and this project will allow us to reduce the amount of water we take from boreholes and increase the amount taken from reservoirs, making us more resilient and able to meet future water demand.”

The project also received the seal of approval from retired engineer and local resident, Eugene Davern, who worked on the delivery of the Channel Tunnel. 

Severn Trent has also committed to enhance and increase the biodiversity along the route.

Michael added: “As with any large-scale programme such as this, we want to make sure that we’re enhancing the natural environment. We are currently consulting with the council and environmental groups to determine the best place for these environmental improvements to be made.”