Water bosses to order replacement super pipe after storm

The two-mile long sewage outfall pipe being installed off Anchorsholme has been damaged, with the final 250m left wrecked by the high sea and winds.

Now United Utilities, which is carrying out the work, has got to reorder a section of pipe from its manufacturer in Norway to complete the work.

A spokesman from United Utilities said a 250m long section of the pipe had been damaged and needed replacing.

He said: “Before the first storm hit the pipe was in place, secured in its trench on the sea bed.

“The storm lifted it out of position. It did cause a bit of damage but it was not too bad.

“When Storm Brian struck later a 250m section at the end was lifted and broke away.

“The end has now been secured, from the safety point of view, and a new section has been ordered from Norway.”

He said the engineers did not have chance to get out and re-secure the pipe after the first storm. He added: “We consulted the relevant authorities and were told that it was not safe to go out on the sea. The surge was too strong.”

It is being installed opposite the United Utilities work at Anchorsholme Park with a new 30m deep storm tank and a pumping station – able to pump 14 tonnes of water per second through the new outfall pipes.