ENGINEERS have started piecing together the first part of Bridgwater's £10-million water supply improvement scheme.

On the outskirts the first pieces of a new water main – each weighing more than one ton – are being lowered into place 3m below Quantock Road.

The main is the first improvement planned for the town's water supply system during Wessex Water's Operation Clean and Clear scheme.

Project manager Davin Eversett said: "After months of detailed planning, piecing together the first new water main of this scheme marks the beginning of a new era for Bridgwater's water supply.

"We will lay the pipe in 12m sections and expect to have lowered between 25 and 30 pieces into place by the time the main is complete."

More than 50m of the new water main has already been laid along Quantock Road.

Once complete the existing water main, which has suffered corrosion that occasionally led to customers receiving discoloured water, will be abandoned.

In total 630m of new pipeline will be laid during this section of Operation Clean and Clear which is due to be completed by mid March.

Mr Eversett added: "Once the first phase of this multi-million pound project is complete we will continue replacing, relining and cleaning water mains.

"In total improvements will be made to around 27km of pipes leaving the town with a reliable supply of high quality water for many years to come."