Valley Gardens, Consett

Hi, I'm Mike Foster, the Project Manager for the Valley Gardens Sewer network project to reduce the risk of external flooding to the previously affected property's and surrounding areas.

From the studies already carried out the proposed solution will remove the external flooding experienced at the affected properties and reduce the amount of flooding in the local study area. Analysis of the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) has also shown that this solution will not cause detriment to other areas.

I have 30 years of experience in the water industry, mostly as a project engineer and project manager in our Capital Delivery department. I will be a key contact for the whole team to ensure we can deliver this investment. Whilst we must comply with a wide range of rules and regulations I am keen to ensure that we undertake this work with minimal disruption to you and the community we are part of.

If you have any concerns over the work we are carrying out or if you would like further information on the project - please get in touch, I’d be happy to provide more details on what we are doing.

Planned Work

The Valley Gardens Sewer network project is required to reduce the risk of external flooding to previously affected property's and surrounding areas.

From the studies already carried out the proposed solution will remove the external flooding observed at the affected properties and reduce the amount of flooding in the local study area. Analysis Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) has also shown that this solution will not cause detriment to other areas.

The preferred option aims to reduce the headlosses downstream of the externally flooding properties and provide some additional capacity in the combined sewer network local to the affected properties. 

The solution shows that the flooding is alleviated in a 1 in 20-year return period event. All new pipes will be 450mm diameter and flood volume comparisons have shown that this option will remove the external flooding observed at the flooding manholes and reduce the amount of flooding in the local study area. Additional CSO analysis has also shown that this solution will not cause detriment to the sewer network downstream of the study area.

The proposal is to intercept the existing 300mm diameter combined sewer that runs along the highway of Valley Gardens and constructing a new sewer to divert flows to the manhole in the main road (Cutlers' Hall road).

This option has been estimated as comprising of the following works and shown in the map below:

• Approximately 85m of new 450mm diameter sewer;
• Three new manhole chambers.