14 May 2007
Wessex Water has announced that it is to spend 5 million investing in a new reservoir project, designed to extend the life of a current dam outside Yeovil for a further century.
The Sutton Bingham Reservoir is due to have the concrete slabs on the uphill part of the structure replaced, with two scour pipes also being installed in the spillway tower to ensure water levels are controlled.
Speaking to the Yeovil Press, the site manager for Wessex Water, Ben Laughton, said: "This is a huge engineering feat involving tonnes of imported rock and stone.
"We have a statutory obligation under the Reservoirs Act to maintain this dam and these works will extend its life for another 100 years," he added.
Better maintained reservoirs should lead to improved water levels during Britain's increasingly dry summers, preventing the possibility of hose pipe bans.
Improved water usage by consumers and a wet winter have led many water suppliers to declare that the reservoirs are currently full enough to prevent the need for water restrictions this summer.