Hi everyone,   Time for another update for Hexham STW Refurbishment: The work to refurbish the existing Detritor and Grit Rake has hit a snag when we have found some structural significant cracking in the ground structure around a mounting point which will take considerable force. We’ll be removing the grit rake again to carry out some concrete repairs in the near future. We are continuing to install new Ts on the pipework around the distribution chamber to allow the filters to be operated without using the distribution chamber if and when necessary. Three of the four are mostly complete. We have pushed the seeding/over-pumping back a week to allow for the T’s to be completed and some tweaks to the set up of the pumps now that they have to share room with the T’s. The new inlet screens slab has been blinded out ready for the Formwork, Reinforcement and Concrete (FRC) sub-contractor who started preparing shuttering today.   As mentioned previously, the continuing traffic management outside the site is not part of our works and is controlled by another contractor - emergency numbers should be displayed on the traffic management signage.   I’ve attached a few photos to illustrate progress on site. Thanks for taking the time to read the update.   Dave Eden, Project Manager

Good afternoon, I hope everyone is doing well.  You may see Spacial Geomatics in the area this week working within Northumbrian Water assets. The work will cause minimum disruption and no traffic managment will be in place.  The crews will manage the works using cones and priority signs, to enable the local traffic to continue flowing. If you follow this link, it will show the areas and dates we will be working - Traffic Information . We are happy to discuss any aspect of this works, please contact us at nwl.customer@esh.uk.com or click 'Contact Project Team' on this page. Thank you  Rachel

Good afternoon, Hope everyone has had a lovey weekend! I would just like to take this opportunity to introduce a new member to the team, Alice will be working alongside Christine and I making sure customers are kept informed and to answer any queries. You may see Alice and I in the area seeing how the work progresses. Please don’t be shy if you see us, we are always happy to chat. The team have now finished the concrete tank and have started the new drainage works for the inlet and outlet pipes and expect these to be finished by the end of this week.  Please contact us direct if you have any questions at nwl.customer@esh.uk.com. Rachel & Alice.

Good morning, I just wanted to give a quick update on the site teams progress over at Chilton Lane STW. The final infill for the Chemical dosing has now been completed. Our paving areas on site are now 100% complete. Although the weather has been quite challenging, when there has been opportunity all planned tasks have been fulfilled. Formwork for the Mecana (MCC) has been completed this week and the concrete has been poured ready for the kiosk installation. In the next month the team will be installing the MCC/kiosk and enabling works will begin for the pumping station construction. I have included some photos of the progress. As always feel free to leave a comment should you have any questions, and a member of the team will get back to you. Thanks Anya

  Good morning Last week, Farrans and our contractor, Joseph Gallagher Ltd, started tunnelling operations at Project Pipeline. A 220m tunnel will be constructed beneath the River Tees, near Barnard Castle, to enable the new £155m water pipeline to be installed, while protecting the watercourse and the wildlife that relies upon it.   Northumbrian Water’s Project Pipeline: County Durham and Tees Valley will see the construction of around 57km of new pipes connecting Lartington Water Treatment Works with around 200,000 customers across the south of the North East. A specialist tunnel boring machine has arrived on site to begin its journey between two specially constructed shafts. This will create a pathway beneath the river, through which the new pipes will be installed. Phase 1 of the project will connect Lartington, in Upper Teesdale, with Whorley Hill and Shildon, County Durham, and will be followed by a second phase extending the pipeline from Whorley Hill to Long Newton, connecting to the existing network that serves large parts of Teesside. In recent months, Farrans and subcontractors Joseph Gallagher, have been building  the two shafts, one on either side of the river. Dave Mellor, Contracts Director for Farrans, said: “ This is an exciting time for the project team as we begin this highly-technical operation under the river. The western shaft is 8.0 metres in diameter and 32 metres deep, while the eastern shaft is 7.5 metres in diameter and 46 metres deep, the difference being due to the rising topography on the east bank. “A 221-tonne concrete base has been constructed in each shaft – a volume equivalent to 15 wagons of concrete. The 220m journey beneath the Tees will take up to six weeks to complete, going from east to west, before a large crane will lift the machine back out of the eastern shaft.” James Dawes, Northumbrian Water’s Project Manager said: “This project has been years in the planning, and ensuring that key strategic crossings, such as the River Tees, are done in the best way possible for the local environment and communities, has been vital. “While it would have been possible to cross the Tees using a pipe-bridge, we had to consider such factors as how this would impact the stunning Teesdale landscape that will be here long after our team have completed the project and moved on. “The use of no dig techniques (tunnelling or directional drilling) is becoming increasingly common in our projects, to reduce the impact on our region’s road and rail networks by reducing the need to dig long trenches. However, this is the first time we have employed it to cross a river and the teams at Farrans and Joseph Gallagher Limited have done a great job in creating these massive shafts to make this possible. Project Pipeline: County Durham and Tees Valley is a huge investment in the resilience and quality of water supplies to around 200,000 customers, and there is a lot of work to be done, but this is an exciting and important milestone as we progress this strategically important project towards completion.”   The arrival of the tunnelling machine was greeted by ten-year-old Penny Green, from Cotherstone, who won a competition to name it which was run by Farrans.  She chose the name Penelope after herself, because “the machine is strong, like her”, and was joined by her family – parents Richard and Kelly, and siblings Toby, Josie and Harry, at the eastern shaft, to see the machine and meet the team.   Kind regards Karen Alexander Farrans’ Community Business Partner  

Good morning, The team have been working to programe this week despite the weather conditions. This week the drainage has now been connected to the discharge chamber and backfilling is currently ongoing. Jetting and CCTV of the spillway drainage has began and will continue to monitor. Thank you for your time. Have a great weekend! Please contact us direct if you have any questions at nwl.customer@esh.uk.com. Rachel

Good morning, Hope everyone has had a lovey week! I would just like to take this opportunity to introduce a new member to the team, Alice will be working alongside Christine and I making sure customers are kept informed and to answer any queries. You may have seen Alice and I in the area this week speaking to residents and seeing how the work progresses. Please don’t be shy if you see us, we are always happy to chat. The team have been working to program this week despite the weather conditions and will continue to monitor throughout the work. Please contact us direct if you have any questions at nwl.customer@esh.uk.com. Thank you Rachel & Alice.

Good morning, Hope everyone has had a lovely week! As mentioned previously the team have been waiting on the Mecana filter tank to arrive, I’m pleased to say this is now in place and fitted. The pipelines are continuing to be constructed from the newly installed shaft to the filters and we have been working closely with Durham County Council and others involved and have reinstated the area within Stanley Ancient Woodlands. Please contact us direct if you have any questions at nwl.customer@esh.uk.com. Rachel

Hello, Site is now well established, and civil works have started.  This has begun with the groundworks required to get the new chemical dosing kiosks on site which are due around the first week in May 24. Along with this, excavations are being made to sink three new pumping station on site.

Hello, Works are now well underway with the civil works almost 50% complete. The two major pieces of equipment required for the new compliance, the chemical dosing kiosks and the tertiary treatment unit have now arrived at site.  Going forward over the next few weeks we’ll be carrying on with the civil works and making a start on some of the mechanical installations.

Hello,  Site is now well established and civil works are underway. The old washwater building at the North end of site has had some conservation work carried out on it to ensure that the bats that were present were rehomed successfully. This building has now been demolished to make way for the new one currently being built off-site. Work is also underway at the South end of site to install a pumping station for the  new Tertiary plant.

Afternoon everyone, just a quick update regarding some traffic management this Friday the 12th of April. The works will require 3 way lights at the junction of Mount Lane and Mount Park Road due to needing access to manholes along that route. The lights will be erected at 9AM and will be removed by the end of the day. Please see the plotted points on the map attached below outlining the area of traffic management. On a positive note the concrete pour that took place yesterday has been successful, they are continuing to power float today however it will not continue into tonight.