Projects
Sewer Connection Macclesfield
We were approached by long-time customer of ours Fox Construction of Chapenhall in Scotland. Fox undertake full refurbishments and new construction of Shell Petrol stations throughout the UK. Their job in Macclesfield required us to make a surface water connection to the public sewer.
Objective
Our objective was to lay pipework from the site boundary of a new Shell Petrol Station, and to connect into an existing surface water manhole 80 metres away in the carriageway. The gradients in the Highway didn’t work with the site, and so a pump was installed within the site by Fox, and we took care of all the work in the Highway.
About the project
Fox Construction took care of the Section 106, on this occasion, the wastewater provider being United Utilities. JW Clark applied to Cheshire Highways for the Section 50 Licence, including submission of utilities drawings, our accreditations and insurances, drainage plans supplied by Fox and a traffic management plan which we instructed a third party to put together.
We met with Highways and agreed a 3-day road closure of a narrow country lane at the back of the site, from where we would lay the MDPE pumped main. The work in the lane was completed in 3 days including full tarmac reinstatement. For the purposes of closing the road, we had to complete a TTRO road-closure application, which included us submitting a diversion plan to Highways and then instructing a third party to set up the road closure and also the diversion including full signage around the site and also along the diversion route.
Following on from this, we laid 40 metres of MDPE pipework in a grass verge and tarmac footpath. At this point we built a 2m deep ‘break chamber’ where the pipework would change from an MDPE pumped main, to 100mm clay pipework (on gravity)
The clay pipework was laid to an existing manhole in the carriageway, nearly 4m deep. Due to the location of the existing manhole, it was proving challenging to retain access to people’s driveways as the excavation would be in the region of 3m square, for us to work safely at 4m dig depth. We also found the ground to be very unstable, with running sand at 3m deep. With this in mind we approached United Utilities who had granted the Section 106, and proposed an internal backdrop, with the aforementioned engineering challenges in mind. United Utilities were in agreement and we submitted our proposals including full design and materials to be used etc. The internal backdrop was installed using 150mm ductile iron, built into the benching of the inside of the manhole at the bottom.
With the connection complete, the pump chamber was commissioned by Fox Construction and rising main in the Highway tested under pressure. With tests complete and with all reinstatement complete, the site was cleared less than 10 working days after starting on site.
JW Clark continue to work with Fox Construction on sites across the UK.
Timeline
Time taken to quote for the works: Less than 1 week
Time taken to obtain Section 106 Licence: Fox Construction already had this
Time taken to obtain Section 50 Licence: 6 weeks
Leadtime to use S50 Licence: Highways required only one week
Time taken to do the work: 2 weeks
Total time: 10 weeks from enquiry by Fox, to the work being completed
Do you need a sewer connection needs doing? Don’t leave it too late, most people do! Read our article here: How long does it take to do a sewer connection?
