Rescheduled Wash Common pipe works to begin

Thames Water is due to start digging up Essex Street today (Monday) in a project to help prevent flooding

THE water main works in a Wash Common street are due to begin today (Mon).

Thames Water is to carry out a £500,000 project to replace the pipe under Essex Street to protect homes from flooding.

The project was due to begin on Tuesday, October 25 but the start had to be delayed as Thames Water did not have anywhere to store their equipment.

The works are set to take about ten weeks to complete.

The cast-iron main was laid more than 100 years ago in Essex Street – the site of the First Battle of Newbury in 1643.

However, it has burst 19 times since 1995.

Several schemes have been attempted to try and prevent flooding, but none have been successful so far and replacing 300 metres of the 12-inch diameter pipe with new and robust plastic piping is the next step to protect homes.

Two-way traffic lights will be in place for the duration of the work, which is expected to take about 10 weeks to complete.

It is understood, however, that there will be a two-week break over the Christmas period.