The regeneration of Newport’s canal got a boost this week with a money saving solution to a problem which could have swallowed up half of the Ł1 million allocated to the town.
The regeneration partnership discovered there were two sewage pipes running at a higher level than was needed for boats to float – a problem which was initially going to be solved by a pump system costing Ł500,000.
But a scheme of diverting the two pipes at a much cheaper cost is now being looked at.
Councillor Eric Carter said: “The sewage pipe runs at the bottom of the canal, under the bridge. If we want to open up the canal we have to make for sufficient depth of water. We have to re-direct the sewage pipe but also make sure it works properly.
“It would have cost about 50 per cent of the money allocated to Newport in total, it is extremely expensive and we’re not going down that route.
“Severn Trent have been very helpful. They have been looking at different technical options to divert the sewage around the bridge so that it’s not quite as expensive.
“It’s critical we don’t use all our money diverting a pipe, it has to be something that works.”
Dennis Rogers, a retired mechanical engineer from Church Aston, put forward the new idea to the regeneration partnership.
Mr Rogers, who has been advising the partnership on the canal, devised a plan to redirect the two sewage pipes which are underneath the Canal and Strine bridges.
The plan to divert them to a different manhole will cost considerably less and will not need any maintenance.
Severn Trent are due to give the partnership a quote for work at the end of July.
