Disruption for businesses as bay sewer system upgraded

BUSINESSES in Cardiff Bay’s Mermaid Quay are braced for several months of disruption as the area’s antiquated sewer system is replaced.

The major £2m underground overhaul is slated to begin imminently and will also affect shoppers gearing up for Christmas as teams set about removing “a mini fatberg” caused by an accumulation of fats, oils and grease – from the Victorian brick-built network.

Work on the egg-shaped sewer, which runs under Bute Street and Stuart Street, is scheduled to last until next January and is in response to incidents of internal flooding in the area – The Eli Jenkins pub on Bute Crescent in 2014 being one such instance.

A temporary footbridge also had to be installed (between The Dock and Salt bars) last year after it was discovered that part of the sewer’s brickwork had started coming away.

The upheaval will pre-empt a much mooted facelift for the the dockside tourist spot, which turns 20 next year – including extensive redecoration and the introduction of new paving, lighting, signs and seating.

“Around three quarters of all sewer blockages we deal with are caused by the wrong things being flushed down the toilet or poured down the kitchen sink, and the condition of the sewer in Mermaid Quay reflects this,” says Steve Wilson, Welsh Water’s director of wastewater services, adding that regular jet-washing of the subterranean system has, over time, led to a deterioration of the waste pipes.

“As a company, we have to respond to around 2,000 blockages a month and it costs us £7m every year to deal with.”

He adds that Welsh Water has been liaising closely with restaurants, bars, shops and residents in the affected sections and every effort has been made to minimise the impact of the scheme.

A unit will also be on site should anyone need to voice their concerns while work is ongoing.

In addition, the project will be carried out in phases with lulls planned during both October half term and over the festive period to ensure trade isn’t too badly hit.

However, some shop owners have voiced their concerns that such a prolonged period of disruption will have an adverse effect on their livelihoods.

“I was surprised it was going to last that long and I only hope it’s not going to make things too difficult,” says one local trader who asked not to be named.

“The noise and, in particular, the smell are my main concerns, both of which are going to make coming down here a pretty unpleasant proposition for a lot of people.

“I’ve been assured that, in dealing with it section by section, this whole area won’t end up being completely shut off or out of bounds, but they also won’t know exactly what they’re up against until they start taking everything up.

“Hopefully, they won’t run into an unexpected problem that ends up delaying the work even further.

“So, yes, I have to admit I’m more than a bit worried.”

A spokesman for Mermaid Quay adds: “We are working closely with Welsh Water to try to ensure that the impact that their essential works have on Mermaid Quay customers and businesses is kept to a minimum.

“We recognise that there will be disruption and we are aware that Welsh Water has processes in place to ensure businesses can be compensated should they be affected by the work.

“We will monitor the situation closely and do what we can to support our tenants as the works progress.”