Yorkshire Water will start work later this week (w/c 25 July) on a scheme to improve the quality of water received by residents of Hawkswick near Settle.
The project will see contractors Morrison Utility Services construct a new 2.6km pipeline which will feed water straight from the company’s Embsay water treatment works to a storage tank in Hawkswick.
The work is been done to ensure local water supplies comply with Drinking Water Inspectorate standards. Previously the local community have taken their water from a local spring.
Work on the new pipeline which will run along Outgang Lane to Wind Bank Farm will begin on Monday 4 July, and is expected to take eight weeks.
In order to ensure the safety of road users and on-site engineers, it will be necessary to close Outgang Lane for the duration of the work, though access will be maintained at all times for residents living all the route. A short diversionary route will be in place via Outgang Lane to Skirfare Bridge Barn.
Den Tansey of Yorkshire Water’s community engagement team said: “We’re committed to providing all of our customers with some of the best drinking water in the world and whilst this work is likely to lead to some traffic disruption, hopefully everybody can see that the long-term benefits vastly outweigh any short term inconveniences.
“The work is vital to ensure our water meet with Drinking Water Inspectorate guidelines and once complete, local residents will be able to enjoy some of the best quality drinking water in the world.”
Yorkshire Water supplies 1.24 billion litres of drinking water each day
– equivalent to 49,600 Olympic sized swimming pools full of water and operates more than 40,000 miles of water and sewerage mains – enough pipework to circulate the earth.
Neither Yorkshire Water or Morrison Utility Services employees will need access to residents’ properties and residents are being asked to be on their guard against bogus callers while crews are working in the area. Genuine employees carry identity cards which can be verified by calling 0845 1 24 24 24 and won’t mind waiting while their credentials are verified.
