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Major Supply Grid Upgrades, Somerset

Upgrade the Water Supply GRID for Bridgewater with a challenging design

By: MGF Ltd

Published: October 24, 2019

Dancing Hill - Courtesy of MGF Ltd

Scope of works

Excavation works began in 2017 at the Dancing Hill Reservoir site as part of a £6 million project to upgrade the Water Supply GRID for Bridgwater and the surrounding areas. Major upgrades are required due to large-scale developments in the area.

Issues & solutions

The design was particularly challenging due to the complicated nature of the ground surrounding the reservoir tank. A sizeable berm was built on the ground profile around Cofferdam 4 to ensure a safe and stable excavation. This exaction also had to accept other loadings from Cofferdams 1, 2 and 3. Multiple 203UC tank brace frames were used due to the strict lift plan limit of 1 tonne. Larger or heavier brace systems could risk the collapse of existing foundations.

Vibration pile driving was not permitted due to the detrimental effect it could have on the high-pressure water mains that supplies customers. There was also a HV cable running through the site that had to be avoided. The exact location of other services created additional challenges and ongoing surveys had to be monitored throughout the duration of works.

As of 2017 there are four connected cofferdams in place allowing safe working space to combine new pipeworks to the main reservoir tank. Multiple back-to-back 203UC tank braces with special alignment of bracing has been key in the design, combined with KKD 600 sheets to secure the trench. Several Lightweight DavitSafe systems allow safe access into the 10m deep cofferdams.

Sector: Water & Utilities
Client: Wessex Water
Location: Bridgewater, Somerset
Scheme: Water Supply GRID Upgrade
MGF depot: Bristol
Products hired: Multiple 203UC brace, KKD 600 sheets, lightweight davit

Dancing Hill - Courtesy of MGF Ltd

Dancing Hill – Courtesy of MGF Ltd

For more information: MGF Ltd | +44 (0)1942 402700 | www.mgf.co.uk

Courtesy of MGF Ltd

Courtesy of MGF Ltd

Courtesy of MGF Ltd

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Between 2007 and 2014 two of Northumbrian Water’s (NWG) water supply zones, served by Whittle Dene WTW and Warkworth WTW, both in Northumberland, consistently received the highest number of water quality contacts for discoloured water. In previous AMP periods, NWG undertook a programme of strategic mains cleaning and unidirectional flushing to improve customer acceptability performance. […]

Minworth STW - Thermal Hydrolysis Plant (2018)

Minworth STW is Severn Trent’s largest sewage treatment works and serves a population equivalent of 1.75 million from Birmingham with full flow to treatment of 1,070Ml/d. The works treats sludge arising from a population equivalent of 2.3 million which is made up of indigenous sludge plus imported sludge from the nearby Coleshill STW and various […]

Nine Elms, Battersea Growth & SuDS (2018)

The Nine Elms redevelopment area within Battersea includes 21,000 new dwellings, office, leisure and retail space creating 8000 new jobs including the new US Embassy, a relocated New Covent Garden Market site and the Northern Line extension. An integrated water management study completed by Thames Water (TW) in partnership with the Greater London Authority, ARUP […]

Northcombe WTW GAC Scheme (2018)

Located near Okehampton, Northcombe WTW supplies a large region of North Devon including Barnstaple, Bideford and South Molton. The works supplies over 88,000 customers, with around half of these relying on Northcombe as their sole supply of water. As standards for water quality change, South West water (SWW) has been issued a notice by the […]

Ogston WTW (2018)

Ogston Water Treatment Works (WTW) is located at Stretton, Higham in Derbyshire and it provides treated water to Higham, Ambergate and Whiteborough Reservoirs. The maximum works output is 76 mega litres per day (MLD) with an output for the New works DAF (dissolved air flotation) plant of 50 MLD. As part of the AMP6 coagulation […]

Plymouth Central STW Stormwater UV Irradiation (2018)

The European Union’s (EUs) revised Bathing Water Directive (rBWD) (2006/7/EC) came into force in March 2006 replacing Bathing Water Directive (BWD) (76/1160/EEC). The overall objective of the revised directive is the protection of public health. From November 2015, a new classification system for bathing waters (excellent, good, sufficient or poor) was introduced, with more stringent […]

South West Water Shellfish Waters NEP AMP6 Programme (2018)

The 2010 Shellfish Waters Directive placed a new obligation on South West Water (SWW) to endeavour to meet the Shellfish Waters Regulations ‘Guideline’ Standard. (Class B). The Shellfish Waters (SFW) programme of work was to meet legislative requirements to protect or improve designated shellfish waters to support shellfish life and growth, contributing to the quality […]

Tideway Central - Overview (2018)

Thames Tideway Tunnel is the largest water infrastructure project currently under construction in the UK and will modernise London’s major sewerage system, the backbone of which dates back to Victorian times. Although the sewers built in the mid-19th century are still in excellent structural condition, their hydraulic capacity was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette for […]

Tynywaun WTW (2018)

Tynywaun Water Treatment Works forms part of the South East Wales Conjunctive Use System (SEWCUS) chain of water treatment works that supply the central South Wales valleys and cities of Newport and Cardiff. This SEWCUS system does not, however, provide full conjunctive use to the Tynywaun distribution area, having very limited connectivity. The works has […]

Upper Chelburn Impounding Reservoir (2018)

Upper Chelburn Impounding Reservoir (IR), located near Rochdale on the east Lancashire moors, is owned and operated by United Utilities (UU), providing compensation water to the nearby Rochdale canal. The reservoir is impounded by northern and southern earth-fill embankments (Figure 1), with a resulting capacity of 236,000m3. The 16.5m high northern embankment was constructed between […]

Woodgate Hill Service Reservoir No. 2 (2018)

Woodgate Hill Service Reservoir No. 2 (SR2) was commissioned in 1963, providing a total capacity of 269Ml and a throughput that equates to 20% of the regional water demand. The reservoir was built in to the hillside with an excavation of around 380,000m3. With a footprint of 47,000m2, at the time of construction, Woodgate Hill […]

Woolston WwT Scheme - Part 3 (2018)

Built in 1966, Woolston Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) uses a conventional Activated Sludge Plant (ASP) to treat sewage flows from part of the Southampton conurbation. Serving a population of approximately 62,000, the site occupies an area of 1.26 hectares. The existing sewerage system which feeds into the WwTW collects both wastewater and stormwater from the […]

Beckton to Riverside Sludge Mains Refurbishment (2017)

Thames Water Utilities Limited (TWUL) currently transfer a proportion of the wastewater sludge generated by Beckton Sewage Treatment Works (STW) in East London to Riverside STW using 2 (No.) 8km buried pipelines. These twin pipelines were originally installed in the late 1960s to pump sludge in the opposite direction from Riverside to Beckton where it […]

Bickerstaffe Pumping Station (2017)

The Southport Demand Monitoring Zone (DMZ) comprises ten supply zones with a population of approximately 245,000 covering the majority of the areas of the District Councils of West Lancashire and Sefton. Southport DMZ suffers from a number of issues including (i) peak demand during the summer months (ii) population growth (iii) water management. To overcome […]

BRP - Elan Valley Aqueduct (Bleddfa) - Birmingham Resilience Project (2017)

At the height of the industrial revolution, Birmingham’s population was booming. Between 1800 and 1900, the city had grown substantially. An innovative solution was needed to provide its residents and industries with safe drinking water. James Mansergh had identified the Elan Valley as a source for water. With Birmingham located so far in land, the […]

Bransholme Surface Water Pumping Station (2017)

Hull’s response to the 2007 flooding that affected thousands of homes in the Bransholme catchment is now complete and operational. This saw Yorkshire Water appoint Black & Veatch (now Binnies) to carry out a feasibility study followed by a design and build contract for a new pumping station. The new Bransholme Surface Water Pumping Station (SWPS), […]

Bristol Road Sewer Pumping Station (2017)

Burnham Jetty is the only ‘poor’ bathing water site in the Wessex Water region as categorised by the EU Revised Bathing Water Directive. Wessex Water has been working with the Environment Agency and committed £39 million to 12 schemes to improve this rating. Bristol Road Sewer Pumping Station (SPS) and Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) rebuild […]

Bynea Sewage Pumping Station (2017)

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) is carrying out a strategic package of works in the Llanelli and Gowerton catchments with the aim of reducing spills into the Loughor Estuary. Bynea Sewage Pumping Station (SPS) is a key asset, receiving sewage flows from the local catchment and transferring them to Llanelli WwTW. The site originally operated […]

Cowley Trunk Main Project (2017)

Following a burst on the existing 24” trunk main running along the Oxford Eastern Bypass in September 2014 causing severe flooding, Thames Water made the decision to replace the high risk section of the main to prevent future pipe failures. The Optimise Joint Venture delivered the £6m project, installing 2km of replacement trunk main along […]

Davyhulme WwTW Modernisation Project (2017)

Davyhulme WwTW is United Utilities’ largest wastewater treatment works, which serves over one million people in Greater Manchester; it has been undergoing a £200 million modernisation process, which started on site in 2015 and is now close to construction completion. The upgrade is required to ensure it complies with tighter discharge consents and the impact […]

Heigham WTW (2017)

Heigham Water Treatment Works (WTW) is the main supply of water to Norwich and supplies an average of 42Ml/d of water sourced from the River Wensum at several locations. Potable water is pumped into the Norwich Public Water Supply Zone feeding a multitude of storage reservoirs, booster pumps and properties. The main raw water abstraction […]

Hesketh Bank WwTW (2017)

Hesketh Bank Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) serves a population of approximately 5,800. The catchment of this Lancashire village is mainly residential and much of the surrounding land is dedicated to agriculture. The treatment works is on the edge of the village and is situated close to the River Douglas, near its confluence with the Ribble […]

Horsley WTW (2017)

Northumbrian Water’s Horsley WTW serves around 800,000 people in the Newcastle and Tyneside area. The original works was constructed in 1977 and last extended in 2003. It draws its supply from the nearby River Tyne at Ovingham and the Whittle Dene complex of reservoirs fed from Kielder Water. The existing works has a capacity of […]

Ipswich Tidal Barrier Project (2017)

Ipswich’s position on the estuary of the River Orwell in Suffolk makes it susceptible to both fluvial and tidal flooding. The Ipswich Tidal Barrier Project is the final element of a £58m programme of work by the Environment Agency (EA), to upgrade the flood defences on the East and West bank of the tidal river […]

Irvine Bypass Trunk Main (2017)

An existing, but ageing, 33”-36” diameter potable water main supplying over 40,000 customers in Ayrshire was identified by Scottish Water as requiring replacement. The existing pipeline was to be replaced with a new pipeline constructed of polyethylene (PE) pipe sections butt-fusion welded into 200m long pipe strings. Caledonia Water Alliance (CWA), a joint venture between […]

Minworth STW - Thermal Hydrolysis Plant (2017)

Minworth STW is Severn Trent Water’s largest sewage treatment works and serves a population equivalent of 1.75 million from Birmingham with full flow to treatment of 1,070Ml/d. The works treats sludge arising from a population equivalent of 2.3 million which is made up of indigenous sludge plus imported sludge from the nearby Coleshill STW and […]

Mogden STW (2017)

Mogden Sewage Treatment Works is the second largest in the UK. The first phase was built between 1931 and 1935 at a cost of £1.7 million and covers an area of 55 hectares. The facility treats wastewater from a population equivalent of 1.9 million across a 60 square mile catchment area of north and west […]

Oldham & Royton Integrated Strategy (ORIS) (2017)

United Utilities is the regional water company for the north west of England, delivering water and wastewater services to 7m people from Cheshire to the Scottish border. Oldham WwTW and Royton WwTW are two major treatment works located in Oldham, to the north east of Manchester. The Oldham and Royton Integrated Strategy (ORIS) project combines […]

Springs Impounding Reservoir (2017)

United Utilities (UU) is the statutory undertaker for 132 impounding reservoirs (IRs) retained by earth-fill embankment dams which fall under the requirements of the 1975 Reservoir Act. Before the era of ‘Pennine’ type clay core construction techniques, many impounding reservoirs that were constructed around the turn of the nineteenth century were substantially homogenous, comprising of […]

Tideway Central - Vessel Relocation (2017)

London’s sewerage system was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette in the 1850s, for a population of four million people. Whilst the Victorian sewers are still in excellent working condition, they are struggling to cope with the demands of the city’s growth. Every year, tens of millions of tonnes of raw sewage pour into the River […]

Whitburn Spill Reduction (2017)

Northumbrian Water is required to provide investment to reduce spills at Whitburn and St Peter’s, Sunderland in order to comply with the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) by December 2017. Sunderland (north) is an urban catchment of predominantly residential properties and is home to Sunderland’s Blue Flag award winning beaches at […]

Woolston WwT Scheme - Part 2 (2017)

Built in 1966, Southern Water’s Woolston WwTW uses conventional activated sludge plant (ASP) to treat sewage flows from part of the Southampton conurbation, serving a population of approximately 62,000 people. The site occupies an area of 1.26 hectares. The existing sewerage system which feeds into the WwTW collects both wastewater and stormwater from the Woolston […]

MGF celebrates turning 40!

MGF are proud to announce that this month marks our 40th anniversary! Whilst we can’t get together to celebrate, we are reminiscing about the “good old days”.

MGF is now open in Scotland!

After almost a year in action, MGF’s Livingston Depot has been providing excavation safety solutions to those across Scotland

MGF Launch New Lifting Equipment Division

MGF are thrilled to announce the launch of our new Lifting range!

Bridgwater Water Supply

Celebrating 40 years! A look back - MGF successfully came up with a design that suited the complicated ground surrounding the reservoir tank

Celebrating 40 years! A look back - MGF successfully managing ground movement during construction works

Celebrating 40 years! A look back - MGF successfully install temporary works within 2 weeks

Celebrating 40 years! A look back - MGF offer a cost effective and safe solution that was easy for the contractor to install

Sewer Replacement in Shallow Trench

Celebrating 40 years! A look back - MGF GRiPSHORE range used over traditional shoring methods

Vyrnwy Large Diameter Trunk Main

Celebrating 40 years! A look back - MGF provided expert temporary works designs for over 100 excavations

Walton le Dale WwTW

Celebrating 40 years! A look back - MGF make simple made-to-measure systems that were easy to install/remove