SES Water supplies 160 million litres of water a day to more than 750,000 people in parts of Surrey, Kent and South London in the UK. The company’s supply area is 322 square miles extending from Morden and South Croydon in the North to Gatwick Airport in the South and from Cobham, Leatherhead and Dorking in the West to Edenbridge in the East.
The organization is carrying out a series of projects that sees it working to futureproof its network. One such project is the installation of two valves that can be used to divert water from one reservoir, Headley Reservoir, used to feed 26,000 properties, to another, Margery Tower, should an issue arise.
SES had made a pledge within its business plan to ensure 100% of the properties it supplies, be supplied by more than one treatment works by 2025. This will reduce the risk of supply failures and help move water from one area to another. This project forms part of a £45m programme of investment over the 15-year period from 2010 to 2025.
SES Water contracted Mackley to carry out the work who subcontracted to AVT EZ Valve installer Utilities Support Engineering.
Mackley’s Tom Caldecourt said: “We chose USE as our specialist contractor for the EZ Valve installation based on their expertise and reputation, they did not let us down and we would be more than happy to use them again.”
Knowing the water lines that required the valves could not be shut down without affecting thousands of properties, USE suggesting installed EZ Valves. Small EZ valves, those sized from 4”/100mm to 12”/300mm, are installed in their hundreds across the UK, but this project is the first in which 20”/500mm valves would be installed in the UK.
AVT EZ Valves are insertion valves that are installed without the need to shut off the water flow. The valves use integrated isolation gates, which enable a slot to be milled across the pipe without water loss. Once the slot has been milled, the low-profile EM (end milling) machine head is retracted, the isolation gate closed and a bonnet with a resilient wedge is installed, all while the flow is maintained. The wedge can then be inserted into the pipe as and when a stop is required.
SES’s Engineering Section Manager Sean Walker attended the installation and said: “I was very impressed with how easy it was to install once it was all in place. I like the way that the valve bonnet could be removed if ever needed. I would be happy to recommend the sue of AVT EZ Valves if we ever need this type of installation again”
AVT’s Jason Taylor is working with USE to introduce large EZ Valves to the UK. Large valves are those sizes from 14” to 24”. Jason said: “We are pleased to be working with USE. They are fast becoming experts in the installation of our larger EZ valves, and we look forward to supporting them on future installs across the UK.”
