Manx Utilities will start work next week on the replacement of 10km of water main from Ballakew, St Mark’s to Ballaglonney, Grenaby.

This forms part of its investment strategy to upgrade water mains on the island and to help preserve water supplies by eliminating leaks and bursts on its network.

Work will commence on April 19 for 26 weeks on the £3.4M critical infrastructure project.

The new main is one of the longest water main installations to be installed in over 20 years, and will ultimately supply water to thousands of properties in the south of the island, including Grenaby, Ronague, Ballabeg, Colby and Ballasalla.

The project also involves a new main installation on the Phildraw Road to Ballamodha to improve supplies in the area and higher Foxdale.

Contractors will undertake excavation across several public roads, including Ballacorris (Ballagick) Road, A26 St Marks Road, B29 Ballacharry Road, A34 Phildraw Road, A3 Ballamodha, Moaney Moar Road, and B41 Grenaby Road.

Steel trench sheets will be used to cover open trench excavation to allow the passage of cars and small vehicles over any excavated trench.

Manx Utilities may use traffic lights where possible to reduce road closures and disruption to road users.

Chairman Rob Callister said: ‘It’s important to continue to replace aging critical infrastructure and I would like to thank landowners for their help and cooperation in enabling this project to proceed.

‘This is the longest installation of its kind completed in many years and will improve the reliability of supplies in areas that have suffered from service interruption due to frequent bursts on ageing water mains.’

The project is programmed to be completed in early October 2022.

It will involve a number of excavations on public roads, with traffic management being utilised wherever possible to reduce the need for road closures.