The company is currently planning to install or replace more than 388 kilometres of pipeline to upgrade and enhance their water supply across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. The first project was completed in Smarden, Kent, in September – the utility needed to replace around 150 metres of an ageing water mains which had become unreliable, and had a history of bursts. Work started on Monday 4 August, and was completed on Monday 15 September.

A second scheme in the area at Pluckley started last week and will take around nine weeks to complete.will see around 640 metres of new pipeline laid.

Head of Engineering for South East Water, Desmond Brown, said:

“We’re pleased to have smoothly delivered the first project of this new business cycle. We have an ambitious plan to upgrade our water supply network; replacing unreliable mains, upgrading our treatment works and reservoirs, and installing new pipelines to provide support to the network in localised areas and to provide us with a more connected, more flexible, more resilient network. This investment over five years will ensure we can always continue to supply our customers with top quality drinking water for years to come.”