Wigan canal could be blocked for weeks more
A huge and complex civil engineering project in Wigan is showing no sign of reaching a conclusion after a water main burst underneath the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
United Utilities and Canal and River Trust experts are both involved in the operation on a stretch of the waterway at Platt Bridge.
Because there are no locks nearby, dams had to be created at either side of the rupture and then the water drained away so that work could then start on mending the pipe. Further engineering work would then have to be carried out to ensure the canal itself doesn’t then leak when refilled.
The operation began on Thursday August 14 and UU is still unable to predict when the canal will be usable by boats again, much to some users’ annoyance.
One canal boat owner said: “This is one of my favourite stretches of waterway and I can’t get through.
"Typical that this should happen in the summer when the canals are at their busiest, although I appreciate there must be a lot of tough work to do get things fixed.”
So far there has been no to little impact on UU customers, apart from some slight water discoloration. UU is recommending that if this recurs, residents should simply open the tap until the water runs clean.
Bottles of drinking water have been delivered to homes with vulnerable residents in the area, as a precaution, but so far they have not been needed.
Rob Moore, county business lead for water at United Utilities, said: "We are working hard with partners at the Canal and Rivers Trust and the Environment Agency to repair a complex water mains burst under the Leeds and Liverpool Canal which occurred on August 14.
"Due to the location of the burst, a section of the canal had to be isolated and drained to allow our teams to carry out work in a safe environment.
"We would like to take this opportunity thank the community for their understanding and patience while we carry out the repairs, and updates will be provided when available."
UU promised a further update next week.