Calder Valley Trunk Main

Installation of new twin 500mm PE Water Mains
CLIENT
United Utilities
PROJECT TYPE
Clean Water
DATE COMPLETED
October 2013
VALUE
£1,037,972
PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR
Eric Wright Water
FORM OF CONTRACT
NEC ECC Opt A

Overview

Eric Wright Water Ltd were employed by United Utilities Plc to replace an existing 800mm Diameter ductile iron (DI) water main running under Altham Brook, with 2No 500mm Diameter SDR-11 PE water mains.

The project also included for the provision of a new flow meter and chamber to the pipeline. In advance of this project, a section of the original 800mm DI pipeline within the footprint of the brook had been diverted into a temporary overland 500mm PE pipeline.

This ensured the continuity of clean water supply into the nearby town of Blackburn. Due to the steep topography on both sides of Altham Brook and presence of an ancient woodland over the path of the new water main, the new mains were installed using directional drilling methods. To minimise the amount of downtime of the ‘live’ main, these were installed off-line of the existing.

Key Challenges

EWW’s methodology and programme was developed to ensure that disruption to the ‘live’ flow of potable water into Blackburn through the existing pipeline was kept to the absolute minimum.

The directional drilling of two 500mm PE pipes involved sending the pipes over a horizontal distance of 238m from drive to reception pit and to a depth of 5.9m beneath the brook. The brook was 8.5m below the drive pit.

Added Value

EWW completed the project using a combination of specialist subcontractors, supply chain partners (civil engineering) with whom we have longstanding working relationships and our own in-house mechanical engineering personnel.

Get in Touch

For all enquiries, please get in touch with the team here at Eric Wright.