Engineering group Mowlem has won a £1 million contract to build an emergency back-up water pipe in East Sussex.

Its specialist water utility contractor, Mowlem AH Ball, will build the 7.5-mile pipe for South-East Water and Southern Water.

The Sussex-based water companies will use the pipe during dry summers and when demand is high to transfer water from the Darwell reservoir, near Robertsbridge, to Hazards Green water treatment works at Standard Hill, near Ninfield, Battle.

Towns like Eastbourne and Bexhill-on-Sea, which suffered from water shortages last autumn, should benefit.

To minimise environmental damage, most of it will be laid in open arable or grass farmland, running parallel with country roads. The route will cross 11 roads, five streams, 25 watercourses and a number of environmentally sensitive areas.

Special construction methods will minimise damage to flora and fauna.

Some ancient woodland and hedgerow will be crossed using the same technique.

This procedure involves drilling a pilot bore under the obstruction and then enlarging the bore while pulling piping through the enlarged bore.

The Environment Agency and East Sussex County Council have insisted all major roads and streams should be crossed the same way.

A spokesman for South-East Water, in Haywards Heath, said: "This is a massive project which has been in the planning stages for some time now and we are delighted to be moving forward with it."

Monday May 17, 2004