Raising the roof

29/03/2007

A Suffolk water tower has been given a new lease of life after it was fitted with a brand new roof.

It was fixed to the 55-year-old tower during a two-hour long operation in which a 500-tonne crane lowered the roof onto Lodgewood Water Tower, near Walpole.

The work, which cost £780,000, will extend the life of the tower for at least another 25 years which will maintain the quality of the water for the Blyth area of Suffolk, which has 16,500 residents.

The existing roof had to be removed in segments before the new 20-tonne roof could be fitted. It needed to be replaced because it had reached the end of its useful life.

Lodgewood Tower is a 30-metre high reinforced tower with an elevated steel tank which holds 300, 000 gallons of water.

David Aland, production manager at Essex & Suffolk Water said: “Replacing the roof of a water tower is quite an unusual procedure and it was carried out very smoothly.

“This new roof will ensure that out customers in this area of Suffolk, and future generations, continue to receive among the best quality tap water in the country.”

He added: “Our customers may not realise the huge amount of time, effort and millions of pounds which are spent every year to maintain excellent water quality and continuity of supply.”