Dry Weather Update

Water's Worth Saving

We’re asking for your help to reduce the water you use at home and use it wisely wherever possible. There are currently no restrictions from doing anything yet. If we all start now and work together we can help to reduce the chance of a temporary usage ban (hosepipe ban) from being implemented.

How you can help

• Use water wisely and minimise any usage where you can. Follow our summer water saving tips. Small changes can make a big difference. 
• Warm weather can cause ground movement which can lead to burst pipes. If you see what you think might be a leak, you can help us out by reporting a leak and we will do our best to get it fixed as soon as we can.
• Check your toilets for leaks. If you think you might have a leak, we may be able to fix it for free. You can report it here.

The current situation in Essex and Suffolk

Due to the prolonged hot weather, the total water levels are now lower than normal and the Environment Agency has moved the region into Drought status. We're working hard to make sure we balance maintaining supplies to all our customers while also protecting the environment.

While we’re in this period of prolonged exceptionally dry weather we're asking everyone to be careful about their water use so we can keep the water flowing to all of our customers. 

What we're doing 

We're doing our best to save water too:

• We are closely monitoring and carefully managing the situation with our water resources, as reservoir levels are lower than they would normally be at this time of year, preparing for every eventuality.
• We have increased resources and are making extra investments to achieve our best-ever performance in repairing leaks, including redeploying our employees to find and fix leaks as well as deploying new technology.
• We’ve suspending planned work so we can focus our efforts on fixing leaks across the region.

We are planning to do the final mains connection on Thursday 29th November which will then be reinstated the following day.

The crew on site have worked very hard and we are pleased to say that the scheme will be completed this week with the road closure coming down on Sunday 2nd December. 

This phase is progressing well,126 metres of 450mm pipe installed since Saturday 17th November, reinstatement is taking place today to where we have laid.

Photo attached: One of the reinstatement crew, floor sawing the trench edge to make a neat edge ready for the hot rolled asphalt to bind against.

The team on site are still working extremely hard. Phase 4 finished at midday on Wednesday 14 November with the road closure coming off at midday. The phase 5 road closure has been set up from Beccles Road/Crab Lane junction to Mallard Way.

Phase 4 total length of 450mm ductile iron pipe was 375 metres.

Since phase 4 started on Monday 29 October there has been approximately 200 metres of 450mm ductile pipe laid and as shown in the attached photos. The trench has been back filled ready for concreting later today, once cured the black hot rolled asphalt will be carried out for the permanent finish.

Second photo shows the pipe within the barriers ready for installation when required.

Work was completed on time crossing the 5 way multi traffic light junction, the temporary traffic lights were taken down Saturday 27th October at 2pm.

From Monday 29th October we have now progressed into the Phase 4 Beccles Road to Crab Lane road closure.

The team on site this week have been erecting the fencing to enable to complete trial holes at various locations to determine the route of the new main.

The carriageway will be planed today so excavation can start as soon as possible, photos attached of the road closure and the carriageway.

The blue cabin opposite the Sun Inn public house is being moved on Monday 29 October after helpful feedback from local residents.

We are currently working through the 5 way junction along Beccles Road, this is were Church Lane/Mill Lane and Long Lane all join onto Beccles Road within a space of 60 metres, through this section we are working under temporary multi way lights and pedestrian crossings. The crew have installed the new 450mm ductile main underneath the existing 8” steel gas main.

The working area has also been kept to the bare minimum as to allow the traffic to flow freely.

We are still on course to finish Phase 3 on Saturday 27th October.