As members of the Flood Forum, we have been notified that Thames Water plan to carry out connection and tankering operations on the new sewer main in late August 2023. It was mentioned at the last Flood Forum meeting, that Spring 2023 had seen the wettest months in decades resulting in high ground water levels and flows going through the network.
Due to Thames Water needing to take the pumping stations offline with a 24/7 Tankering operation, they have had to postpone this stage of the works to late August when levels should be low enough for them to safely carry out the work and minimise disruption to the Lambourn Valley.
A summary of Thames Water’s programme is as follows:
- There are nine connections that will be made along the Lambourn Valley.
- A 2-week road closure will be in place from Monday 14th to Monday 28th August 2023 for them to connect the section of sewer they installed in the Easter Half-term. The road closure will be on the section of Newbury Road outside the Queens Arms Pub just before the junction on Front Street. Our diversion route will be the same as used previously, and a copy is attached to this email. Access to Front Street will still be available, but due to Highway Authority regulations, they cannot put signage up advertising traffic to use this route.
- They will have a 24/7 Tankering operation in place from the Monday 21st August to Tuesday 29th August 2023. During this period, they will have 14 tankers working around the clock to empty the Bockhampton and Membury pumping stations.
- Once the connection work has been completed, they will begin work to complete any remaining reinstatement and begin work to demobilise the site compound next Newbury Road. They anticipate that the demobilisation will be completed by late September.
Thames Water will be sending out letters to residents this week informing them of the programme.
Councillors Chris Harris and Vicky Rieunier are Lambourn Parish Council’s representatives on the Flood Forum
