Last updated at 11:40, Tuesday, 09 August 2011

Engineers are lifting the lid on the next phase of Keswick’s £20 million sewer improvement scheme – by inviting people to an exhibition.

United Utilities will start work in Keswick town centre in September and is hoping people will come along to look at plans and ask questions.

The public drop-in exhibition will take place at the town’s Quaker Meeting House near Booths Supermarket on August 17.

Engineers and project staff will be on hand from 5pm until 7.30pm to answer questions and explain how they plan to minimise the impact of the work on the town.

United Utilities’ project has already seen changes at the town’s sewage works. The next phase is in the town itself, and will start with work on a large stormwater storage tank underneath Rawnsley Hall car park and will also include new and improved sewers under some roads.

Road works are being timed to avoid the busy tourist and Christmas seasons, with most work on key routes taking place between January and March 2012.

Project manager Simon Povey encouraged people to drop in and see the plans for themselves.

He said: “This is a major scheme which will deliver real and vital improvements to the quality of Bassenthwaite Lake and will also help alleviate sewer flooding from our network in the Greta Grove area.

“We have been working exceptionally hard with local people and representative organisations to time our works to cause as little nuisance as possible, for instance by avoiding the Keswick Convention and Keswick Show.

“We have also co-ordinated our work closely with the Environment Agency whose flood defence work is happening at the same time.

“The net result for Keswick will be immense but in the mean time we need to keep listening to local people and keep them informed. This is one way we’ll be doing that.”

The project is part of United Utilities £3.6 billion regional programme to improve water quality and the environment.

First published at 11:30, Tuesday, 09 August 2011
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk