Eynsham Parish Council has just been advised that a section of Back Lane will be closed imminently to allow for repairs to be carried out to pipes.
The work, being completed by Thames Water, will involve re-lining an area of the pipe which has collapsed and is causing some issues within the village.
This closure, which came into force on 7 February, is currently in place until 20 February. The diversion route suggested is via Spareacre Lane and Witney Road. This diversion route - and the closed sections of Back Lane - are marked on the map that can be downloaded below.
In a letter sent to residents, Thames Water explained that "the foul water sewer in Back Lane currently has a defect" and the dig required to make the necessary fix "goes to a depth of 4m". The depth means that, unfortunately, "this won't be a straightforward fix" and Thames Water is "unable to confirm a timeframe currently". Residents were reassured that there would be no impact to either clean water or wastewater service. The letter is available to read in full at the bottom of the page.
Cllr Andy Goodwin has been monitoring the issues associated with Thames Water for some time. He told the Parish Council that he recently discovered that the whole pipe is made with pitch pipe materials, which ultimately needs replacing. He is pushing Thames Water to replace the whole pipe to ensure further sections don’t collapse and cause further issues.
We will keep residents updated as and when we have more news on this activity.