New £32m pipeline to boost water supply for customers in North Nottinghamshire

The water company has announced the construction of a new 16km pipeline that will link the Derwent Valley Aqueduct to Strelley Reservoir to the west of Nottingham, and Redhill Reservoir in the north-east of the city.

The new pipeline, which will be slightly wider in diameter than the size of a wheel on an adult bike, will boost the resilience of the network by providing up to an extra 25 million litres of water per day to the area, the equivalent of over 130,000 full bathtubs.

This will enable Severn Trent to reduce the amount of water it takes from boreholes and allow them to take more water from reservoirs in the future, accounting for changes in demand which could be caused by population growth or warmer weather.

The pipeline is one of the biggest projects that Severn Trent will be starting in 2024.

Severn Trent project manager, Neil Russell, said: “The new pipeline will be a great addition to our water supply network, securing a continuous supply of water to thousands of households in North Nottinghamshire and future proofing the network against any increases in demand. 

“With the effects of climate change and population growth, it’s never been as important to continue to invest in this way for our customers. We’ve also made a commitment to reduce our dependency on boreholes because of the long-term impact these can have on the environment.

“It is a project where the general public may not even notice the main benefits, and that’s the whole point in a weird way - our customers turn on their taps to receive our wonderful water and this project will make sure they can continue to do this for many years to come. It will always be there for them.”

Work is set to start in January, with Severn Trent using technology such as tunnel boring machines where possible so they can lay pipes within tunnels beneath busy areas such as the A610 and the railway near to Hucknall.

Severn Trent will be working with utilities infrastructure and engineering services company Avove to deliver this project.