Essential pipeline work to begin on Portmore Street as Meadow Lane East Car Park reopens

30 September 2024 17:53

NI Water’s contractor, BSG, is due to begin the third of four major connections in the Meadow Lane area next week, with pipelaying due to get underway on Portmore Street around 5^th September.

Speaking about this next phase of work, NI Water Senior Project Manager, Lisa Hughes said: “BSG is expecting to move to Portmore Street around the middle of next week to begin the third major connection as part of NI Water’s £7.8m Meadow Lane Wastewater Upgrade which involves the installation of 620m of large diameter sewer and the construction of a modern wastewater pumping station.

“To enable the open-cut pipelaying work to be carried out in the safest possible manner, Portmore Street will be closed to through traffic between its junction with Meadow Lane and its junction with Harford Street during the week commencing 2^nd September for approximately 5 weeks. Access to Portmore Street will be via Edward Street or Thomas Street during this time and parking restrictions will be in place around the working area for safety reasons.

“A one-way closure will also be required on Meadow Lane at its junction with Portmore Street to facilitate these works. This means that for traffic coming from the direction of Thomas Street/Tavanagh Avenue and the health centre, there will be no access along Meadow Lane beyond the Portmore junction. Motorists travelling from Bridge Street along Meadow Lane in direction of Thomas Street will be unaffected. A letter drop has been completed in the area and signage will be in place to direct traffic. As always, our contractor will make every effort to keep disruption to a minimum and complete the work in the shortest possible timescale.”

Commenting on progress on the overall scheme, Lisa added: “The scheme has reached a key milestone with the reopening today of Meadow Lane East Car Park following the completion of the extensive tunnelling work which saw almost 400m of 1500mm diameter sewer laid under Meadow Lane. Over 50,000 manhours have been employed to date by BSG on the construction of the new modern pumping station, stormwater tank and associated pipelines.

“Work currently ongoing on Meadow Lane, at the entrance to Portmore Street, is due to be completed by 4^th or 5^th September with the next phase of open-cut pipelaying and connection work planned to commence on Portmore Street immediately afterwards.

“Following the completion of open-cut work on Portmore Street, the final large-scale connection will take place in the vicinity of the new wastewater pumping station. We will provide an update to residents, businesses and the public ahead of this section of work getting underway.

“NI Water and our project team from BSG and McAdam take this opportunity to again thank the local community for their continued patience and support during the ongoing £7.8m Meadow Lane Wastewater Upgrade Project.

“This significant investment by NI Water is providing the necessary upgrades to comply with the requirements of the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency (NIEA) to reduce discharges to local watercourses and facilitate the closure of five Storm Overflows. In addition to these important environmental benefits, the new infrastructure will support future development and economic growth in Portadown.”

Ends

For further information, please email press.office@niwater.com

General facts

• The new infrastructure being installed and constructed will provide increased capacity in the network as well as first-time stormwater storage to support local development and economic growth and provide environmental protection in the area.

• The project will facilitate the closure of 5 storm overflows on the network which will improve the water quality in the River Bann. 

• 620m of new large diameter sewer – to provide increased capacity in the network - is being laid by both tunnelling and open-cut methods.

• The majority of the new sewer is 1500mm in diameter – almost 5 feet in old money!

• The underground stormwater tank being constructed at the new Meadow Lane Wastewater Pumping Station is 20m wide and 9m deep and is capable of holding 1,500,000 litres of stormwater (rain/surface water) – that’s the same volume as 18,750 household baths!

• The new stormwater tank will provide better protection to the environment and reduce the risk of out-of-sewer flooding in the area.

• 140 concrete secant piles – measuring 750mm in diameter, 18m in length and weighing 19 tonnes each - were installed in the construction of the new underground stormwater storage tank. If laid out end to end, the piles would almost stretch from Portadown to Craigavon.

• By the end of August 2024 over 50,000 hours will have been employed by BSG in the construction of the new pumping station and installation of pipelines.