WATER AUTHORITY AWARD CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF DOUGLAS NEW RAW WATER PIPELINE

The Water Authority has awarded a contract for construction of the Douglas new raw water pipeline to Island Drainage and Groundwork Limited, a Manx company with suitable pipeline construction experience. Island Drainage and Groundwork Limited is currently undertaking construction of the Beinn-y-Phott pipeline for the Water Authority.

The pipeline is required to convey raw water from West Baldwin impounding reservoir for treatment at the Douglas new water treatment works and thus must be completed in time to supply water required for commissioning and testing of the new water treatment works, currently being constructed at Homefield Road, Douglas. Once commissioned the new treatment works will supply water to Douglas, Onchan and the south of the Island.

The route of the pipeline has been selected on the basis of cost and of environmental and engineering factors. The pipeline, which will be buried along its entire route, will operate by gravity and consequently must follow approximately the same Baldwin Valley bottom route as the old gravity pipelines, laid 80 to 100 years ago. Farming operations will be unaffected by the pipeline, other than during the construction and land reinstatement period

Fourteen out of a total of nineteen landowners on the pipeline route have granted and been paid for easements to permit passage of the new pipeline. The remaining five landowners have not, to date, granted easements which has made it necessary for the Water Authority to issue Statutory Powers Notices (in terms of the Water Act 1991) to ensure that pipe laying can proceed unhindered. Laying of the pipeline, whether under easement agreement or under Statutory Powers Notice does not change land ownership

Work on site will commence in January 2006 and is programmed to be completed by the end of 2006.

Martyn Quayle MHK, Chairman of the Isle of Man Water Authority commented: ‘ Very much part of the Crystal Project, this signing brings nearer to fruition the Isle of Man Water Authority’s commitment to bring crystal clear drinking water for the Island’s population.’

Photograph caption: Seated Marty Downey, Managing Director and Paul Corteen, Director from Island Groundwork and Drainage Limited, Martyn Quayle MHK (Chairman, Isle of Man Water Authority), John Smith (Director of Operations, Isle of Man Water Authority), and representatives of the Authority’s Crystal Project team along with Alan Teare of Capital Projects, Treasury and Brendan Carty of MWH (IoM) Limited.