Work has started on an £11 million pound water treatment works in a north Northumberland town.
The first underground pipes have been laid as the construction of Northumbrian Water′s new water treatment works at Murton, Berwick-upon-Tweed gets underway.
It′s part of a £21 million pound total investment to improve tap water quality for more than 25,000 people, with construction starting on another new £10 million treatment works in Wooler during the summer.
An extension of the existing water treatment works, the new site will include a brand new building, and new treatment and disinfection tanks. It will use cutting-edge technology and energy-efficient processes to treat up to 8 million litres of water every day.
Work is being carried out on the site by Northumbrian Water′s supply partners, Mott Macdonald Bentley, with the new site set to become fully operational by the end of the year.
Northumbrian Water′s Project Manager, Chris Austin, said: "The start of this work is significant as it demonstrates our commitment to providing an excellent supply of tap water quality for many years to come.
"The work will take place next to the existing site so disruption will be kept to a minimum, although there may be an increase in the volume of traffic to the site. Customers′ water supply won′t be affected while the work is carried out."
Northumberland County Councillors representing the Berwick-upon-Tweed area - Gregah Roughead, Georgina Hill and Catherine Seymour - were invited to visit the site as work began.
Councillor Gregah Roughead, Northumberland County Councillor for Berwick West with Ord said: "I very much welcome the £11 million pound investment by Northumbrian Water into building a new water treatment facility at Murton and it is great to see that work has already commenced.
"It was great to meet with the project team on site and hear in detail about their plans, and how this project will make the treatment of water in the area more efficient.
"I was really pleased to see first-hand the commitment the team have to this project and to hear that this investment provides the best water infrastructure for the future of our communities in the Berwick and northernmost Northumberland area."
Customers will be able to follow the progress by visiting the Berwick page on www.nwlcommunityportal.co.uk.