Manx £350k water main upgrade brought forward

The work is now set to be completed three weeks earlier than originally planned

A £350,000 scheme to replace a water main in the east of the Isle of Man has been brought forward to accommodate resurfacing works, Manx Utilities has confirmed.

The work involves laying 0.8 miles (1.3km) of new pipework through land from Lhergy Cripperty in Union Mills to Vicarage Road in Douglas.

Installed in 1974, the current main has "failed several times recently", a spokeswoman for the firm said.

The project, which would support the Department of Infrastructure’s work on Vicarage Road, was now due to be completed three weeks early on 31 May, she said.

The government-owned utilities provider said it was a "priority to upgrade" the infrastructure as about 3,000 customers in the Anagh Coar and Farmhill areas relied on the "critical main".

The main also supplies water to Springham Park, Spring Valley Industrial Estate, the Isle of Man Business Park and Cooil Road.

Motorists are facing delays due to traffic management on Vicarage Road

The Manx Utilities spokeswoman said the new pipework would be laid several metres away from the current main to reduce the risk of a burst on the older system.

Connections would be made at Lhergy Cripperty to a large main that supplies the Braaid, with another connection made to a meter opposite Manor Lane, she said.

The project would also "future-proof the water network" by installing a new supply point, which would allow the connection of a further main in the area if needed in future, she added.

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