New drinking water pipeline

South East Water is to install a 4.5km water main as part of an 840,000 improvement scheme for customers in Crowborough and the surrounding area.

The scheme is part of South East Water's planned investment up to 2010 to help further protect long term water supplies, and provide more flexibility for its regional water grid.

The new 350mm diameter (14 inch) underground pipeline will be able to transfer more water from the company's existing Blackhill service reservoir, in the Ashdown Forest, to Cottage Hill service reservoir in Rotherfield, especially during the summer months when customer demand for water is high.

Over the next few weeks, and before the pipeline construction begins, the company's contractors will carry out environmental mitigation work, such as hedge clearance and archaeological field surveys.

This will ensure the work does not adversely affect any wildlife, such as nesting birds, at key times of the breeding season, while also protecting the wider environment.