£400k to stop brown water in Stourbridge

Work will be carried out in Racecourse Lane, near Stourbridge Golf Club, to resolve the long-standing problem, which has been put down to the age of cast iron pipes.

The work is expected to be finished by September. Motorists and residents will face delays as Racecourse Lane will be closed between the junctions of Norton Road and Ounty John Lane while the work is carried out.

A diversion will be in place on Norton Road, Heath Lane, Hagley Road, Worcester Lane.

Severn Trent has been receiving complaints about discoloured water from residents in the area for years. The replacement scheme, which will see crews lay down three kilometres of plastic pipes, will benefit around 200 homes.

Councillor Heather Rogers said there was no way to avoid shutting off Racecourse Lane to traffic.

She said: “The road is very dangerous because there’s no pavement and there’s a load of blind and dangerous bends so drivers can’t see the traffic coming around them.

“The road is often closed off for any sort of work including the maintenance of trees or hedges – there’s no other option than to shut the road."

The project is due to start on Monday, and work will also be taking place on Fairways Avenue and Osmaston Road.

Martin Oliver, who is leading the project, said: “We’ve already replaced a small section of pipe in the area and now we’re planning to replace all of the old cast iron pipes with brand new durable plastic pipes.

“We’re aware there have been some issues reported in the area where the old pipes have caused some people to receive discoloured water. That’s why we’ve taken the decision to invest heavily in this area to make sure everyone in Stourbridge has access to a great supply of water at the turn of a tap.

“In the meantime, a top tip for anyone who finds they have discoloured water from their taps is to run the kitchen tap on low for about 20 minutes, which should clear the issue.

“Our contractors from Amey will be working hard to keep disruption to a minimum during the course of the scheme. They’ll work closely with local residents and will keep access to homes and businesses as clear as possible.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this causes but we hope local people will understand as they’ll see the massive benefits that replacing these old pipes will bring.”