£2.5 million upgrade to water mains in Wiltshire completed
Improved water supply between Melksham and Chippenham is now live
A £2.5 million project to replace ageing water mains between Melksham and Chippenham has been completed.
Work began in spring 2025 and involved updating more than two kilometres of water mains near Wessex Water’s Lacock Pumping Station, located off Mons Lane in the historic village of Lacock, extending towards Bowden reservoir to the east.
The upgrade promises better network reliability and water quality for local customers and is part of Wessex Water’s investment in its rural network in Wiltshire.
Over £3 million has already been spent in the Calne area in the past two years.
Challenges and environmental considerations
The project took place across private land and presented several challenges, including the need to tunnel under the River Avon and sensitive woodland near Bewley Lane.
Measures were taken to avoid disturbing a nearby Iron Age hill fort by installing 300 metres of new piping using the slipline method, which pulls or pushes a new pipe into the existing one.
Environmental precautions were extensive, with nearly a mile of fencing installed to protect Great Crested Newts during the work. Hedge and tree replanting are scheduled for early 2026, alongside reseeding and land reinstatement once weather conditions improve.
In the initial stages, archaeologists uncovered medieval tiles and pottery near historic kilns in the area.
Further investment to come
Alex Aulds, networks project manager at YTL Construction UK, praised the collaboration with Wessex Water and Bartlett, saying: “This important project in Lacock came up against some unique technical and environmental challenges, but we’re proud of the work carried out by ourselves, Wessex Water and Bartlett to help it achieve its goals of an improved and more reliable supply for local customers.
"While the project may have proceeded relatively unnoticed across private land, a lot of planning and effort went in to ensuring the scheme was carried out safely and sensitively, given its rural location.
"The exceptionally dry weather during the summer meant the design and programme had to be adjusted, to ensure customers water supplies were unaffected by the implementation of the scheme."
Wessex Water is aiming to reduce leaks by 20 per cent between 2020 and 2030 as part of a broader £160 million investment under its 2025–30 Business Plan. Other ongoing projects include smart water meter installations, leakage reduction and the construction of two reservoirs in Cheddar and the Mendips in partnership with Bristol Water and South West Water.