We are investing £200,000 to replace approximately 272 metres of ageing, burst-prone water main in Fort Road, Newhaven. This work forms part of our commitment to invest £489 million in improving our infrastructure between 2020 and 2025.
The existing main has a history of bursts, resulting in low pressure or no water for our customers and this is unacceptable.
Work started on Monday, 30 October and will be carried out in two phases, detailed below. The project is expected to take 10 weeks to complete, and our team will work as quickly and as safely as possible to complete the work sooner.
Phase 1: Fort Road
Work will take place between Geneva Road and Court Farm Road from 30 October to 22 December.
Phase 2: Court Farm Road
Work will take place from the junction with Fort Road to the outside the children’s play area.
This webpage will be updated as work progresses.
FAQs
The work we are carrying out will not require us to close the road completely. However, to ensure the safety of pedestrians, motorists and our workforce, temporary traffic lights will be in place on Fort Road, Court Farm Road and Geneva Road as we undertake this work.
The traffic lights are checked every day, but if they do fail when no-one is on site, there is a 24-hour out-of-hours telephone number on the lights. We ask drivers not pass through red lights, as this causes the system to fail.
Access to properties and businesses will be maintained at all times, however there may be a short wait if we are working in front of your property.
As the work will require connections to the existing network, there will be a short interruption in supply. We will notify you well in advance when this is due to happen if you are impacted by a loss of supply.
Customers with additional needs be it a disability, mental health or financial concerns can sign up to our Priority Services Register to help us understand how we can help you. More information can be found here.
This page will be updated as work progresses, but if you have any concerns during the work, the staff on site will be happy to answer any questions you may have. If you would like to speak to us direct, please call our Customer Services team on 0333 000 0002 or email us at customerservices@southeastwater.co.uk
To register for free text or email updates about work in your area, visit aqualerter.southeastwater.co.uk(opens in a new tab)
Project updates
Monday, 25 March 2024
16:14 PM
Project completed
We’ve now completed this work and the new main is now in service. We have tidied the verge and have added seed to allow the grass to regrow. Fencing will remain in place on Court Farm Road to allow the grass to establish and will then be removed.
Monday, 26 February 2024
11:17 AM
We’re on the final stretch of this project, with all new water main now laid and commissioned. We have the final two connections to be made, and these are planned for Tuesday 27 February. We are expecting to return the site to its original state and leave the area by the weekend.
Monday, 4 December 2023
14:44 PM
We’ve transferred eight customer services to the new water main and have started to excavate Gibbon Road.
Monday, 27 November 2023
10:57 AM
We’ve excavated the necessary areas in preparation for transferring customer services to the new water main. We’ve excavated a number of trial holes to confirm the route, and this has confirmed that due to the location of other existing utilities, the new water main will need to be laid in the carriageway south of the roundabout at Gibbon Road.
Monday, 20 November 2023
13:58 PM
We’ve excavated and installed the new section of water main across the Co-Op entrance and past the store up to Geneva Road. Testing is planned for this week.
Monday, 13 November 2023
10:59 AM
The five-way traffic lights have been moved to include access to the Co-Op. We have prepared for the first connection to the existing network to be made tomorrow, 14 November, and we have excavated a further 55 metres ready to install the new pipeline.
Monday, 6 November 2023
16:13 PM
Excavations have been completed to make connections to our existing network. Due to the location of other utilities, we have had to excavate deeper than planned. As a result, this connection is now scheduled for 14 November. Work was also hindered by the high coastal winds on Thursday 2 November.
We continue to excavate for the main installation to ensure progress is kept on programme.
Monday, 30 October 2023
10:00 AM
Work underway
Temporary traffic lights are now in place as work begins on our project to replace more than 270 metres of a burst-prone water main in Fort Road, Newhaven.
We will provide regular updates as the work progresses.
Monday, 23 October 2023
10:41 AM
Project due to begin
Our project is due to begin on Monday 30 October as scheduled.
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