Work gets underway on £750,000 Verwood water main

WORK has started on laying a new water main to reinforce the water supply to 7,000 properties in Verwood.

The £750,000 project is scheduled to take five months and is part of Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water’s (BWHW) ongoing investment programme.

The new 3.5 mile (5.7 km) main will provide Verwood with an alternative source of supply from Ringwood.

Once complete, it will significantly reduce the risk of a water supply failure to homes and businesses in the town. The main will also allow essential maintenance to be carried out on existing pipes without affecting customers.

Work began in Ringwood Road, Verwood, at the beginning of May and is programmed for 20 weeks between the junction of Moneyfly Road and Ebblake Bridge. The road will be open but temporary traffic lights are in operation.

In order to reduce traffic disruption as much as possible, a large amount of the new pipe will be laid in the forest away from the main road. BWHW is working closely with the Forestry Commission to keep disturbance and impact on wildlife to a minimum.  

The final section of work will take place in the autumn between the B3081 junction and A31 slip road near Ringwood. Traffic lights will also be in operation for this phase.

Tony Read, BWHW’s Operation Manager, said Verwood had grown considerably over the last 30 years and a new water main was needed in order to maintain a reliable service well into the future.

He added: “We are doing everything possible to minimise disruption but would ask people to bear with us during the next five months as work continues on this important project.”