Thames Water - Twickenham Station Yard diversion

Background

As the country works to address the current housing shortage, major residential sites are key to meeting both local and national demand. However, certain areas, and their surrounding services, will need to be adapted in order to enable this construction. We’ve been partnering with Thames Water to complete a crucial water pipe diversion in Twickenham, south west London, and support the building of a 50-home development.

This was a complex project that was situated in the heart of a busy area of the capital, but by combining our expertise in community engagement with our culture of innovation, we’ve been providing an excellent result.

Solution

This project has required us to install a new 800mm diameter clean water trunk main via open cut methods, in order to divert the existing infrastructure. The pipe needs to be resilient and sustainable, so we decided to deploy a unique piece of kit that ensures the best results. The chosen solution was an Electrolock system – a relatively new technology in this country. It is a robust, easily-assembled pipe that can withstand high pressure. It is also more cost-effective and avoids the need for expensive concrete thrust blocks, which are anchored between the pipe and the trench wall to prevent the separation of the pipe’s joints, significantly reducing CO2 emissions.

Safety is paramount, particularly given the complex existing infrastructure in the area. We have been working closely with the local gas distributor to undertake pre- and post-construction leak surveys and develop temporary designs that would support the diversion and allow us to complete the pipe’s connection safely. The Clancy team has also been liaising with the distributor to undertake live checks and ensure the supply is not being affected by the works.

Benefit

The project site is in the vicinity of a railway station and school, as well as local housing estates. This makes for a congested area in which excellent stakeholder engagement is vital. Clancy has had to manage access to rail stations and busy school drop-off routes, as well as high levels of footfall. To mitigate disruption, we’ve made sure to maintain suitable walkways throughout the works and co-ordinated bus diversions and temporary stands with Transport for London.

While this project is ongoing and further pipework installation is planned, our careful stakeholder engagement, constant focus on safety and use of innovative tools and techniques mean that the project is progressing well – within budget and with a strong health and safety record. We are now looking for opportunities to integrate the use of Electrolock pipes more widely to provide clients with the most sustainable and cost-effective solutions possible.