£400,000 upgrade to Dorset’s water network aims to secure future supply
A five-month project to replace an ageing section of a water main near Weymouth will begin next month
A £400,000 project to upgrade southern Dorset’s ageing water network is set to begin next month east of Weymouth, replacing a 50-year-old main prone to bursts and disruption.
Wessex Water engineers will spend around five months renewing the deteriorating section of pipeline between Poxwell Manor and the junction with Mills Road, Osmington, as part of a wider effort to modernise the region’s water infrastructure.
Lead design engineer Daniel Owen-Rijnenberg said the investment would “improve water quality and ensure a more reliable supply for years to come.”
He said: “This is an important project to replace a degrading main which is more than 50 years old and can be prone to bursts.
“In agreement with Dorset Council, this work has been timed for the middle of winter to minimise disruption as much as possible, with a diversion in place.”
The majority of the work will be carried out under traffic lights from 12 November, although a narrow section will require a three-week road closure in January.
Wessex Water said customers and local businesses had been contacted in advance and apologised for any inconvenience.
Owen-Rijnenberg said that while closing roads was “always a last resort,” the work was vital to preventing future bursts and supply interruptions.
The scheme is part of an ongoing programme of investment by Wessex Water, which spends around £12 million each year maintaining and renewing more than 12,000 kilometres of water mains across the South West.
Looking ahead, the company’s Business Plan over the next five years outlines proposals for £5 billion in investment, including ambitious measures to strengthen water resilience amid population growth and climate pressures.
“This project is about safeguarding Dorset’s water supply for the long term,” Owen-Rijnenberg ended.