Major water improvement works at Rick Hayes

Wessex Water is currently conducting major water improvement works in the Rick Hayes residential estate in Wincanton. Work began on 1st May 2017 and is scheduled to take up to 29 weeks to complete.

Since they were built, around 1946, the homes have been serviced by shared water pipes. Over the years the pipes have naturally aged, suffering severe corrosion and becoming prone to an increasing number of leaks and bursts. Repairs have become more difficult over time due to the poor overall condition of the pipes.

As a result, Wessex Water has decided to update the system by laying approximately 450 metres of new water mains. Existing services are being re-routed or replaced, and there will be individual boundary boxes for each property.

These works present an opportunity to install individual water meters in affected homes, but a representative of Wessex Water has said that “meters are only installed on properties as a matter of course when there has been a change of occupancy, so existing residents will continue to have a choice over how they pay”.

Wessex Water has also clarified that the current works programme is only for upper, "new" Rick Hayes, and that they are currently awaiting budget approval to undertake the same work in the older, lower Rick Hayes for house numbers 1-20. Considering that the houses in lower Rick Hayes were built around 1930 it would be reasonable to assume that the water piping there would also be in seriously corroded condition.

The works area is littered with the usual orange reflective cones, but there are also a few blue ones to warn of "overhead cables". These aren't to warn members of the public, nor do they indicate that there is concurrent power or phone works in progress. The blue cones are simply a health and safety measure to remind site workers to be careful when operating equipment, especially equipment that can be elevated.

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