SEWERS in Chard are being revitalised as part of a £100,000 scheme taking place in the north of the Somerset town later this month

Pipes within a 800-metre stretch of the A358 Furnham Road - between the Chaffcombe Road junction to the junction with Glynswood – will be relined, with engineers using robots to help keep disruption to the local community down to a two-week period.

The repairs will see one lane of the A358 Furnham Road closed, with the road reduced to a single lane to allow Wessex Water to complete the work.

Beginning on Monday, October 24 the scheme will finish by Friday, November 4, with traffic leaving Chard able to do so by using the A358.

For traffic approaching the town from the north, diversions using the A303, Stooper’s Hill and the A30 will be in place.

Instead of digging up long stretches of road, excavations will be limited with the work being completed using specialist equipment working deep underground.

Previously, old sewers were replaced over a period of many months and significant digs, but the modern method reuses the existing pipework where possible, inserting a new liner inside the pipe to reduce the risk of leaks and potential sewer collapses. The robots work their way along the pipe to complete the work and make connections.

A Wessex Water spokesperson said: “Our regular inspections have revealed that the sewers on Furnham Road have a number of defects, which can be expected to get worse over time unless they are renovated, especially on a busy traffic road such as the A358 in Chard.

"We will be using ‘no-dig’ techniques to ensure the project can be completed quickly and less intrusively than completely excavating and replacing the pipe in a conventional fashion."

A Wessex Water spokesperson added: “Crews will work extended shifts from 8.30am to 10.30pm to ensure the lining is completed successfully and as quickly as possible, and we are urging road users to follow the signs in place and not to park vehicles in areas that are coned off.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused to both road users and surrounding residents and businesses by this essential work. Our teams will be working hard to ensure it is finished as safely and quickly as possible and we expect the repair to be finished by Friday, November 4.’’