South West Water is carrying out a £225,000 planned investment to upgrade sections of the sewerage network in Ivybridge.
Over the next three months, South West Water and its H5O partners will be refurbishing 755 metres of sewer in the town to improve the service to residents and businesses.
The scheme is part of a five-year £42 million investment in the sewer network across the region to renovate sewers identified as being at risk of collapse and to alleviate potential flooding problems.
Work on the project, which will use a range of techniques, including trenchless and 'no dig' technology where possible, is due to finish in December 2014.
Project manager Andy Young said:
"We have carried out extensive survey work in Ivybridge to locate damaged sections of pipe. The problems found vary from partial collapses to roots growing through the pipes, which can cause blockages and flooding.
"We are using the latest technology available although there will be some traditional excavation work such as constructing new manhole chambers in order to maintain the network in the future.”
Separately, South West Water is also working in Ivybridge to improve river and bathing water quality in South Devon ahead of the European Union's revised Bathing Water Directive coming into effect in 2015.
Construction work on an underground tank which started in June 2014 and will be completed by November 2014. The extra capacity in the sewerage network will reduce the number of storm discharges into the River Erme during extremely wet weather.
Alongside other improvement work planned in Ivybridge, Ermington, Modbury and Holbeton, this represents a £7.2 million investment in river and bathing water quality.
South West Water has invested more than £2billion to transform bathing water quality across the region over the past 20 years. In 2014/15 the firm will be spending up to £20 million on a range of schemes to further improve bathing water quality at Lyme Regis, Teignmouth, Torbay, Mothecombe, Seaton (Cornwall), Looe and Combe Martin in preparation for the European Union's revised bathing water directive
The investment will be financed from South West Water's own resources and will not impact on the average household bill. South West Water said it is the only water company currently committed to this early investment.
The water company’s business plan for 2015-20, includes an extra £42 million investment to deliver further bathing water improvements.
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