South West

Customers raise their glasses to water treatment scheme

In a scheme geared to improving water quality, a new water treatment plant is being constructed at Tottiford Water Treatment Works near Bovey Tracey, Dartmoor.

The scheme involves the replacement of pressure sand filters dating back to the mid-Victorian era and the installation of five new rapid gravity sand filters to provide primary filtration and removal of manganese.

The £4million project is being carried out for South West Water’s delivery alliance H5O by Balfour Beatty. The designers are Hyder Consulting.

The project, which commenced in January 2011, is due to be completed in January 2012.

The scheme will improve tap water quality for over 70,000 customers in Torquay, Paignton, Newton Abbot, Kingskerswell, Teignmouth, Dawlish, Exminster and Chudleigh.

South West Water is part of Pennon Group plc. The company provides reliable, efficient and high quality drinking water and waste water services throughout Cornwall and Devon and in small areas of Dorset and Somerset.

South West Water came into being in 1989 with the privatisation of the water industry.  The company inherited a water system suffering from a century of neglect but, thanks to the tireless work of their 1,300 employees, has brought the region’s drinking water, sewerage systems and bathing waters into line with the stringent UK and European Union standards.

This extensive programme of environmental improvement has resulted in some of the finest bathing waters in Europe, picturesque scenery and clean rivers with stunning wildlife.

Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering (BBRCE), a key business within the UK’s leading civil engineering company, is currently working on many projects throughout the UK including the Forth Bridge restoration and has recently completed the M74 Link. In the south west BBRCEL have formed a joint venture with BBUSL to provide construction services to the  H5O alliance.

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