£15m keeps cool, clean water on tap for all
LAST WEEK saw the start of a £15 million scheme in north and west Anglesey to ensure customers in the area continue to receive a firstclass drinking water supply for decades to come.
This work is part of a £40 million nationwide investment this year by not-for-profit utility company Welsh Water on its water network.
With some parts of the network nearing the end of its operational life, this £15m investment will include replacing over 17km of water mains and cleansing over 260km – the equivalent of one-and-a-half times the length of the Anglesey coastal path.
The work will see improvements carried out to the water network which feeds homes and businesses on the island from the Alaw reservoir, and should be completed by April next year.
Areas that will benefit include Amlwch, Cemaes, Holyhead, Bryngwran and Newborough.
This follows a similar £12m investment in Mold and Flintshire over the past 12 months.
David Taylor, Head of Water Assets from Welsh Water, said: “Between 2015 and 2020, Welsh Water will be investing £1.7 billion on our water and waste water network to make sure we deliver the best service possible for our customers.
“This year, as part of this programme, we will be investing £15m on the water network in Anglesey, as we continue to work to improve the quality of our drinking water for customers, to ensure they receive clean and fresh water for many years to come.
“As well as replacing water pipes, Welsh Water will also be cleansing water mains.
“The cleansing involves pushing crushed ice through the pipes, which scrapes and clears the inside of the pipes as it moves down the line. The ice then is sucked out of the pipe with a tanker and taken away.
“Using ice to clean the pipes is a great way for us to refresh the network without causing too much disruption to our customers.
Mr Taylor added, “With some parts of the water network laid over a century ago, where required, we will replace old pipes with new ones while we cleanse other parts of the network.
“A lot of this kind of work can also be done overnight, so some customers may not even see us working in their area.
“While we are working in these areas, some customers may experience low water pressure or discolored water. This is perfectly normal when work like this is being carried out and should return to normal quickly.
“Customers can find more information on our website www.dwrcymru.com.”
So that local residents could find out more about the work, four information events have been held in Holyhead, Gaerwen, Cemaes and Amlwch and customers will be contacted before work starts in their area.