May Gurney celebrates completing new sewage works at Helford. Left to right Robert Prentice (Programme Leader SWW), Des Haley (General Foreman) and Neil Carlier of Helford Residents' Society.

Villagers celebrate getting connected

May Gurney and South West Water are putting the finishing touches to a project to clean up a creek in the heart of Du Maurier country - and local residents threw a party to celebrate.

Seven crude sewage outfalls have been closed and 38 properties connected to new sewers as part of the project at Helford, Cornwall. Sewage will now be pumped to a site works for treatment before going into the watercourse.

Robert Prentice, Programme Leader, South West Water, said: "Helford has been a particularly challenging location for the team to work in because of the narrow roads and limited access, but the sewers are laid and the pumping stations will be ready for action when the sewage treatment works is turned on at the end of the month."

"The team's attitude and consideration has been wonderful"

Neil Carlier, Helford Village Society

Richard Dean, Chief Operating Officer at May Gurney, said: "It was important to keep residents informed of the work at every stage and talk to them about their requirements and any concerns. There was a real sense of goodwill and cooperation between our workers and the people of the village."

Neil Carlier of the Helford Village Society said the team had 'gone out of their way' to be considerate of residents while work was carried out.

He said: "The representatives from May Gurney have been so polite and helpful during the project and have made what could have been a very difficult time for the villagers much easier to bear.

"From stopping work to let walkers go past, to carrying delivered furniture along a closed road to a house - the team's attitude and consideration has been wonderful."

The scheme has involved laying 645 metres of gravity sewers, 230 metres of pumping main and constructing two pumping stations and a sewage treatment works.

Work started on the sewers in November 2006 and was completed in March 2007. The sewage treatment works is scheduled to be complete by the end of June.

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