A £1 million project to improve the water supply to areas at the edge of Exmoor has been wrapped up on schedule.
The second 16-week phase of the scheme on the outskirts of Timberscombe was completed this week, concluding an enhancement that first started back in January of last year.
An opening eight-month section of work, replacing pipes within the village itself, was finished last autumn, with the final phase getting under way in January.
Wessex Water teams replaced mains within the Clouds Steep and A396 Dunster to Timberscombe route – to the north of the village, with the work taking place at night to reduce the impact on one of the main A roads through Exmoor.
In total, nearly two and a half kilometres of mains have now been replaced in and around Timberscombe since the beginning of last year.
Design engineer Egidijus Mockevicius said: “We’re delighted to have completed this project around Timberscombe on time.
“It was essential to replace mains that had suffered from a significant number of bursts in the last few years, causing inconvenience and disruption to customers in the area.
“The new plastic pipes will ensure improved water quality and a more reliable source for them for years to come.
“We worked closely with our customers in the village and the parish council and thank them for their patience and co-operation, particularly around the consultation over – and implementation of – night-time working for this second phase, which helped to reduce disruption.
“The road is now fully reopened and we’ll be continuing to remove our site compound and reinstate the area until the start of May.’’
Wessex Water is continuing to invest in the supply network by renewing ageing water mains as well as maintaining and improving facilities that help store and move water around the region to supply its customers, with around £12 million spent each year on a regional network spanning more than 12,000 kilometres.
Ambitious proposals in relation to the supply of water to ensure the system can cope with the growing demands from population growth and challenges of climate change are also included as part of £3.65 billion of new investment within the company’s 2025-2030 Business Plan, which is the subject of a review after an appeal to the Competitions & Markets Authority (CMA)
