Anglian Water is due to commence work during May on the installation of a main sewerage system for Nacton

The work is estimated to take seven months though the start date and duration may well slip due to issues outside the village.  A six inch main is to be laid from “Hilltop” (just after the major bend from the War Memorial on the Ipswich Road) the entire length of The Street to Field View with sections joining from Mill Piece, Finney’s Drift, School Hill, the Levington Road as far as Greenwood Grange and up from the entrance to Orwell Park Gardens to the War Memorial.  Properties along this route, including  Sawmill Lane, Workshop Lane and Tomline Court will have the opportunity to join the system.  After Field View the pipe will go across  the Poor Field and along the A14 all the way to the underground sewerage works at The Thrasher PH on Ransoms Way.  Sections of the final route have yet to be planned.  Orwell Park School and the old Amberfield site are not included in the present scheme.

Two underground pumping stations are proposed. One opposite the entrance to Orwell Park Gardens – the lowest point in the system – and one somewhere around Field View  to pump to The Thrasher area.  Due to the sandy wet nature of the soil in Nacton all the pipe laying will be done using open trenches, at times 3 -4 meters deep. This will mean substantial disruption for extended periods. The affected roads will be closed in sections and diversions posted. Temporary alternative arrangements are being sought for vehicles normally parking on The Street though residential access will always be maintained.  The customary diversions for Operation Stack will have to be re-considered.  The installation will cost about £2M overall and is paid for by OFWAT.

Anglia Water will soon be inviting residents who live along the route to meetings, probably in the Village Hall, to discuss if they wish to join the system.  Anglian Water will provide a connection point at property’s boundary during the sewerage installation only if the property has agreed to be immediately connected.  The cost of connecting the property to the provided connection point has to be met by the property owner who may use Anglian Water or another contractor.  Arrangements for shared systems or other oddities will have to be agreed between the users / owners / landlords.

This is the Parish Councils initial understanding.  The road closure plan and an overall project plan have been requested and will be published here it as soon as it is available.