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Praise from South West Water for Plymouth mains project

We've received a big 'thank you' from key customer South West Water and local businesses for the high level of customer service and professional attitude of our teams, who completed a water mains refurbishment programme in Plymouth two weeks ahead of schedule.

We were tasked with refurbishing nearly 700 metres of cast iron water main to improve the quality and taste of drinking water in the Barbican, a historic and picturesque area of Plymouth which attracts many tourists. While we used the latest trenchless technology, some disruption was inevitable due to the narrow streets.

"I would like to thank May Gurney for a good job in a challenging environment "
Ken Bastin, South West Water
Our teams worked seven days a week and on a number of occasions through the night in order to get the work completed in time for the Transat Yacht Race, which attracts a hundreds of thousands of tourists to the area.

In order to allay concerns expressed by local residents and businesses during the planning stages, we appointed a client liaison officer (CLO) to act as point of contact between the operational team and local people. The CLO had regular contact with local businesses and attended weekly progress meetings with Plymouth City Council and South West Water.

[[[Image3_left]]] The needs of pubs and restaurants were taken into consideration, and work which affected their water supply was carried out at night to ensure minimum disruption. And a four-wheeled hand pulled trolley was provided to assist deliveries to the area while essential work on the water network was taking place.

At the end of the project, Plymouth City Council said: “We want to convey our appreciation with regards to the exceptional standard of works undertaken.”

Ken Bastin, South West Water, added: “I really would like to thank May Gurney for a good job done in such a challenging environment - their planning and approach was very professional. There was high potential for customer complaints due to the location of our infrastructure within Plymouth’s important tourist attractions and marina.”

Gavin Scarr Hall, managing director utility services, concluded: “It's with justifiable pride that I thank our teams for their dedicated approach to customer care and service while undertaking this essential work in the Barbican - especially as it is such an important part of the city.”

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