Isle of Sheppey: Southern Water starts drilling for new pipelines

Bottled water stations were set up when the island suffered from two burst pipes in the summer

Drilling for two new pipelines to take water from the mainland in Kent to an island off its north coast has begun.

Southern Water said the project would give the Isle of Sheppey a "more reliable and resilient" water supply by the end of the year.

In July, two burst pipes left some islanders without water for several days and forced the closure of 12 schools, amid soaring temperatures.

The water company said: "We understand how difficult this must have been."

Bottled water collection points were set up across the island during the bursts, which happened during a "hot weather warning".

Connected pipes

Currently, the island is supplied by a pipeline which was built in 1960 and runs along the Kingsferry bridge, plus another pipe, built in 1979, which runs under the Swale - the channel between the island and the rest of Kent.

Southern Water's plan is for two new pipes under the Swale, with cross connections.

The result will be four pipelines supplying the island - the two old ones plus the two new pipes under The Swale.

Southern Water said: "There will be cross connections, so water can be moved from one pipeline to another, to give the people of the Isle of Sheppey security and a resilient water supply."

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