A6 water main work gets underway in Stockport

Works to improve the water main running for 4km beneath the A6 from Stockport town centre to Hazel Grove is now underway.

The £4.8 million project began on Tuesday 6th April and aims to safeguar water supplies for thousands of people across South Manchester by installing a durable modern lining inside the existing cast iron water main.

Work will be completed in five phases to minimise disruption to traffice, beginning with the stretch of the A6 from the Longshut Lane junction to the junction with Higher Hillgate and moving southwards towards the Hazel Grove Park & Ride.

Some road closures will need to take place to facilitate the work, however the A6 itself will remain open, with only some temporary lane closures, and closures of adjoining roads necessary. Work is expected to be completed by September 2021.

Regional water company, United Utilities, are carrying out the work, with consultation from Stockport Council regarding any road closures.

The 325mm diameter pipe being worked on was crucial to local water supplies, but recent bursts had caused significant local disruption, hence the need for the new lining. United Utilities Programme manager Christian Wheeler said:

This work is essential but it’s taken a lot of planning so that we can do it without any impact on people’s water supplies and so that we minimise disruption for residents, drivers and bus users. The A6 is a key route so we’ve been liaising very closely with Stockport’s highways team and Transport for Greater Manchester.

“Inserting a lining into the existing pipe makes upgrading water supplies a lot quicker than the traditional method of digging up the whole road. We will need considerably fewer excavations at a few sites where we can push new sections of pipe in.”