Isle of Wight firms take lead in £13 million water project

Wight Building Materials and Whippingham-based civil engineering firm C45, are key supply chain partners in the ongoing Southern Water initiative.

The project aims to significantly increase storage capacity at the Sandown wastewater treatment facility.

By boosting the capacity of holding tanks, Southern Water aims to cut down on the number of discharges into the sea when its systems are overwhelmed with storm water, during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

One of the Southern Water project's massive new concrete storm tanks. (Image: Wight Building Materials) Work continuing on one of Southern Water's massive new concrete storm tanks in Sandown. (Image: Wight Building Materials) This week, the project reached a key milestone with the pouring of the concrete base for a new 17m deep by 17.5m wide storm tank.

The new infrastructure, the largest of seven such tanks on site, can hold 4,000 cubic metres of water if required.

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The base was constructed using concrete, specially developed at Wight Building Materials’ St George’s Down headquarters, to meet Southern Water’s stringent requirements.

It contains ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), a sustainable, reduced carbon and durable alternative to cement.

When combined with Island-sourced aggregates, this minimises the overall carbon impact of the project.

In total, 600 cubic metres (1,200 tonnes) of the specialist cement mix, was poured into the base by Wight Building Materials, in three sessions, over 30 hours.

John Pitfield, site manager with lead contractor, Galliford Try, said: "I am an Islander myself, so it is great to be able to call on tried-and-tested local supply chain partners, to play a role in delivering such an important local infrastructure project."

Cameron Davies, project manager of subcontractor Active Tunnelling, echoed his sentiments.

He added: "Without locally sourced concrete, this project would not happen.

"It is the support and professionalism of companies like Wight Building Materials and C45 that makes large infrastructure projects such as this possible."

Steve Burton, general manager of Wight Building Materials, said the project highlights how crucial it is for the Island to be able to source and supply local materials to the construction industry.

"We are delighted to be playing a part in supporting a project that is of such great importance to the local community," he said.