Good morning, Gail,

Thank you for the question.

It is too early to comment on if the diversion of the flow from the culvert has had any positive effect on bathing water quality. The diversion of the flow from the culvert was completed in December 2022, the flow now diverted safely to our sewerage network system. The Northumbrian Water monitoring before May this year together with the Environment Agency regulatory bathing water monitoring, which started in May are both being assessed. The EA bathing water monitoring at Cullercoats is available to view on their website.

Nevertheless, Northumbrian Water recently commissioned the services of a hydrogeologist through our supply chain partners to investigate possible groundwater flow paths. When we have the hydrogeologist's assessment, we can let you know what interpretations of potential groundwater flow paths at Cullercoats there potentially are and what we can possibly do next on that particular aspect.

Graeme Ridley

(NWL Project Manager)

Good afternoon

You will be aware that Esh-Stantec, in partnership with Northumbrian Water are currently working on John Street to carry out improvements to the sewer network.

The area was backfilled with concrete today, followed by reinstatements tomorrow. The area will be fully cleared by Friday 23 December 2023.

Thank you for your patience while work has been completed.

We want to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.  

Good morning,

Can you believe the snow were having.

Although the weather has been challenging the crew have reinstated the tarmac yesterday and from today the traffic management will be re-positioned in order to carry out the last part of the work. The last piece of work to be completed is to construct the new manhole on the culvert.

If anyone would like to discuss our works in more detail, please feel free to contact us by commenting on this post or sending an email to nwl.customer@esh.uk.com.

Have a great week and stay safe!

Rachel 

Good afternoon,

Hope you are all looking forward to the weekend.

The work on John Street is on schedule and the concrete should be delivered today in order to back fill the trench.

Excavation on the new manhole will begin next week before tying into the culvert.

If anyone would like to discuss our works in more detail, please feel free to contact us by commenting on this post or sending an email to nwl.customer@esh.uk.com.

Thank you 

Rachel 

Good afternoon,

This week the team have started reinstatements and are moving the work along John Street. 3-way traffic management is in place.

If anyone would like to discuss our works in more detail, please feel free to contact us by commenting on this post or sending an email to nwl.customer@esh.uk.com.

Have a great weekend!

Rachel 

Good afternoon,

Hope you have all had a lovely week!

This week the team have constructed the second manhole and are excavating along John Street. The reinstatements are booked for Friday 25 November 2022, ready for the traffic management to be changed position on Monday 28 November 2022. This leads onto the final stage to join the new pipe work into the existing culvert. 

If anyone would like to discuss our works in more detail, please feel free to contact us by commenting on this post or sending an email to nwl.customer@esh.uk.com.

Have a great weekend!

Rachel 

Good afternoon,

As mentioned previously our team have been working to install a new drainage pipe from a disused culvert to our combined sewerage network.

The new drainage pipe has been installed on Belle Vue Street up to the joining of John Street. Good news the rear car park on Belle Vue Street behind the Crescent Club is now reopened.

Work on John Street will commence on Monday 14 November 2022 and is planned to take four weeks.

As I’m sure you will have seen from the banners on site Northumbrian Water and Esh are working together in order to complete the required work. The banners have a unique QR code, when scanned takes you directly to the ‘Cullercoats Bay Bathing Water Portal’ where you can find weekly updates regarding the work.

If anyone would like to discuss our works in more detail, please feel free to contact us by commenting on this post or sending an email to nwl.customer@esh.uk.com.

Have a great weekend!

Rachel 

Good morning,

Good news, our Framework Partner Esh Construction will be starting work on Monday, 31 October 2022. 

The work is to install a new drainage pipe from a disused culvert to our combined sewerage network. The work is planned to take six weeks and will take the contaminated groundwater in the culvert to our combined sewerage network. 

The work is in two stages, starting in Belle Vue Street and then moving onto John Street where the disused culvert is located. 

The work to install a new drainage pipe was the recommendation from the Cullercoats Bay Bathing Water Study, which Northumbrian Water completed earlier this year. The recommendation was to take the contaminated groundwater from a disused culvert into Northumbrian Water’s combined sewer network. Northumbrian Water are in collaboration with North Tyneside Council who have also provided funding for the work to proceed. 

We'll keep you posted as the work proceeds,

Graeme Ridley

(NWL Project Manager)

Good afternoon everyone,

Easter is upon us and the WINEP Cullercoats project is nearing completion. We have confirmed that no Northumbrian Water asset local to Cullercoats beach is contributing to the deterioration of bathing water, but the effect is ground water contamination from unknown source(s). Nevertheless one source of contamination we do know about, is the effect of an old underground culvert that still has fluid within it. This was a culvert that was capped off circa 10 years that did have a small flow in it. Many people in Cullercoats might remember that a flow did get onto the beach at the cliff above the Dove Marine laboratory, which was emanating from this old underground culvert.

Northumbrian Water has secured the funding in our Capital Plan and will divert the culvert flow into our sewerage network, locally to John Street this year.

The geology of Cullercoats is complex and a further study is being discussed to understand pathways in the geology beneath and inland from Cullercoats beach, to see if further sources of contamination can be contributing to the bathing water quality. When we confirm funding, a specialist hydrogeologist will be employed to develop models of potential pathways within the rock strata. Tracer surveys might be required to determine pathways that could lie deep within rock strata and potentially presenting itself in the harbour sea water.

The WINEP Cullercoats project that Northumbrian Water has fundamentally completed, the output was essentially to determine if any Northumbrian Water local assets were a contributing factor to bathing water. That has been all but completed but will need final sign off from the Environment Agency. Northumbrian Water will endeavour to still work with local residents, the Environment Agency and North Tyneside Council, to further investigate this ground water contamination issue. As mentioned Northumbrian Water will divert that old culvert flow this year and once established further funding employ a specialist hydrogeologist to develop potential pathway models beneath and inland within rock strata at Cullercoats.

Northumbrian Water wishes to thank everyone who has helped and contributed to the investigations so far. Local knowledge from residents, recent and long established in the community, who have shared information has been invaluable.

Posted in the Planned Work tab, you can download a pdf of our Cullercoats Customer Information Leaflet, which will inform you further on the status of the project. 

I’ll keep you posted on the culvert diversion as we get closer to starting.

Have a happy and safe Easter everyone.

Graeme Ridley

(Northumbrian Water – Project Manager)

Good afternoon,

Just an update for today to keep everyone informed.

Our final report is being delivered to the EA for its review. You will see the key findings in my previous post, we are meeting our obligations to the WINEP Cullercoats project output. We will advise further when the report has been reviewed, as to any potential for full publication.

Graeme Ridley

(NWG Project Manager)