Work on a £700,000 project to upgrade the water network on the banks of Essex’s Hanningfield Reservoir have been completed.

Around 3.5km of large water pipes were replaced at Middlemead by Essex & Suffolk Water in a project that required great care and sensitivity.

Parts of the work took place close to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that is home to a range of species, including Great Crested Newts.

The upgrades will help to ensure the network continues to effectively serve the company’s customers.

The team worked closely with the water company’s conservation experts, ensuring the timing, location, and strict boundaries all helped to protect this vital habitat.
 
Additional measures on the project included ‘trenchless’ pipelaying, where the digging of pits allowed the pipe to be fed under the ground, significantly reducing the need to excavate the land.

Daren Still, Essex & Suffolk Water’s Project Manager, said: “This was a very sensitive project, which required great care and attention, but the outcome is that we have enhanced the resilience of our water network, while also protecting very important habitats around Hanningfield Reservoir.”