Drinking water reservoir construction to begin

The service reservoir will be built off the A14 Ballamenagh Road in Jurby

A 12-month project to construct a new £2.9m drinking water reservoir for the north of the Isle of Man is set to get underway.

The Manx Utilities (MU) facility will be installed next to the ex-RAF Parade Ground off the A14 Ballamenagh Road in Jurby.

The service reservoir has been designed to hold 165,000 gallons (750,000 litres) of water and a pumping station.

MU chairman John Wannenburgh said the scheme was "vital for the expansion of Jurby and will secure water supplies for years to come".

Planning permission for the scheme was granted in December 2023 and the construction follows the installation of 1.5 miles (2.4km) of water main pipes from the Sandygate crossroads to Jurby earlier that year.

The service reservoir, which is a tank measuring 73ft (22.5m) by 50ft (15.5m) that is partially buried to 20 ft (6m) deep, is similar to others across the island.

A spokeswoman for the government-owned utilities provider said the location had been "carefully chosen to minimize disruption to local residents", and once finished it would "blend seamlessly into the landscape, covered with grass and seed".

The project, being carried out by contractor Paul Carey & Sons, would improve supplies for existing homes, support growth in the area, and ensure supplies were available to the fire service when needed, she said.