United Utilities : CENTRAL MANCHESTER SEWER TO GET MAKEOVER

Words by Clare Vincent

United Utilities is spending £250,000 on improving the sewer which is located between Helmet Street and Pin Mill Brow in Central Manchester.

Due to the location of the sewer, the work is not expected to cause significant traffic disruption. United Utilities has worked closely with the Manchester City Council Highway Authority to ensure that traffic will be kept flowing down Great Ancoats Street which is the main road located close to the works.

Preparatory work to protect the water and gas mains will begin in February and the sewer maintenance starts in March. In order to carry out the sewer maintenance safely United Utilities engineers will hand dig a tunnel under the water and gas mains.

Graeme Jackson, from United Utilities, commented: 'We'll make every effort to keep disruption to an absolute minimum when we carry out these important proactive maintenance works. The project will deliver environmental improvements and ensure this central Manchester sewer has resilience for the future.'

:: We're repairing the brickwork to a chamber, and incoming sewer, and removing a Victorian spill pipe.

:: To allow safe excavation, we're installing a new valve on the 28 inch high pressure water main safeguarding supply to 10,000 homes in Manchester.

:: The work will be carried out in the layby in front of Ark Haberdashery.

:: Traffic disruption will be kept to a minimum as preparation works will be done over several night shifts and, during the construction phase, carriageway speeds and widths will be maintained during all peak periods.

:: The work will allow a new access to the Palmerston Street sewer for future inspection and maintenance.