Almost 100 years after Guernsey Water’s Forest Road site’s initial construction, the utility is undertaking the largest refurbishment works to date, providing increased water supply resilience to the southern parishes.
The site, home to the prominent Forest Road water tower as well as two water service reservoirs, provides water to approximately 10,000 customers.
Carl Falla (pictured), capital delivery manager at Guernsey Water said: “The improvement works focus primarily on the service reservoir tanks, these tanks hold a combined total of approximately 22 million litres of treated water.
“Ensuring these tanks are secure both structurally and in terms of water quality is essential to the continued supply of wholesome drinking water to the southern parishes.”
As part of the works to ensure the continued structural security of the tanks, the utility confirmed that the large pines currently on site would need to be removed, but that the works had taken site biodiversity into account and anticipated no overall loss thanks to the plans in place to introduce other habitat.
“Our priority is ensuring the continued provision of drinking water to islanders, however, we always consider biodiversity within our works. It is regrettable that the existing pines will need to come down, however these trees are reaching the end of their life and do pose a very real threat to the security of the tanks” Mr Falla continued.
“To offset this we will be introducing other habitat around the site, including the introduction of a pond with specific planting. Serving as both an area of biodiversity as well as a store for surface water during periods of heavy rainfall. Helping to prevent flooding downstream” said Mr Falla.
The clearance of the trees will take place in phases in accordance with the seasons, the next phase will see the removal of three pines from 29th August 2023, with wider site works scheduled to take place during 2024.
