Sutton and East Surrey Water

• Main will run from Mogador to Burgh Heath
• May have to be routed down A217

Sutton and East Surrey Water is working on plans to install a new strategic main to deliver additional water from Mogador to storage reservoirs five kilometres away at Burgh Heath.

The £2.5 million project will provide the company with greater flexibility and resilience in managing demand from customers in Sutton and the surrounding area. The water supply system within this area has a history of struggling to cope during periods of low rainfall or drought.

Sutton and East Surrey Water’s Operations Director, Mike Hegarty, said: “As the provider of a vital service we must fulfil our statutory duty to build long-term resilience and security of supply into our distribution system to protect the wider interests of the community and our customers.

“Currently, our resources are vulnerable in the Sutton area whenever there is prolonged lack of rainfall. At such times the boreholes in the area do not produce enough water to guarantee that demand will always be met.

“So this new pipeline is not an option. It must be installed as part of our commitments to our regulators and customers.”

Detailed planning is currently taking place to determine the most appropriate route for the 500 mm (20 in) diameter main. As always with a project of this nature, the company is conscious of the need to minimise disruption to traffic, homes, businesses and the environment.

Specialist environmental consultants have been engaged to assist with the process.

A preferred outline route has been identified running across Banstead Heath and the company is currently discussing this possibility with the Banstead Commons Conservators, who are responsible for the management of the Commons in this area.

At this early planning stage this route is the least disruptive and most cost effective option. Using it would enable the company to invest the savings in carrying out more essential capital works. Money in this budget is ‘ring fenced’ for this purpose by the Regulator.

An alternative route is also being considered, laying the main down the A217, one of the busiest dual carriageways in the supply area.

Running the pipeline down the A217 would restrict the dual carriageway to one lane for the length of the working area and cause significant disruption – particularly during the morning and evening rush hours – for around 12 months.

Apart from being unpopular with motorists and businesses, installing the pipeline in the A217 will have adverse economic and environmental consequences. Reducing the carriageway to one lane has the potential to cause long queues of traffic and lengthened journey times.

Digging up the A217 will also create a lot of excavated waste which is unusable and which will have to be loaded into lorries and carted to landfill.

For all these reasons, the company hopes it will be able to come to an agreement with the Conservators to lay the pipe line across Banstead Heath.

“While this is no different from many of our large mains laying schemes, we are conscious that whatever route we use will cause concern to some of our customers,” said Mike Hegarty.

“We take our responsibility to minimise disruption and protect the environment very seriously. This is why we have embarked on a comprehensive consultation process. We will take stakeholders’ views into account before determining the route we will take.”

Additional points

1. The proposed route across Banstead Heath would avoid disrupting Walton Heath Golf Club
2. The Banstead Commons Conservators will discuss the proposal at a public meeting on July 17
3. Detailed ecological surveys are being undertaken to mitigate potential damage to habitats and protected species
4. If Banstead Heath was used remedial work would be extensive and according to strict guidelines
5. Key consultations are taking place with Surrey County Council’s Highways Department, Transport for London, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, Natural England, Surrey Wildlfe Trust, land owners and others.

For further information contact Stuart Hyslop, Liz Thorne or John Burbedge on 01372 460111. Mobile 07973 907 979