Anglian Water’s preparations to repaint Chatterton Tower in Spalding got under way on Monday.(March 20)
Chatterton Tower is one of nine water towers in the East Lincolnshire area, and one of hundreds across the Anglian Water region, all serving customers’ homes with clean, fresh drinking water at the turn of a tap.
Few of these water towers are local landmarks right in the centre of town, though.
Mick Cox, South Lincolnshire supply manager for Anglian Water, said: “We’re really excited to be getting started on the facelift. We know this project is important to the local community, and we’re pleased to be able to restore the iconic water tower’s paintwork to its 1997 condition.
“The facelift was promised three years ago during conversations with the council. We listened to what customers had to say then, and it’s now going ahead having been incorporated into our 2017/18 investment programme.
“Across the region we will spend nearly £445million pounds over the course of the year. Millions of which will be spent in Spalding, maintaining and improving the water and sewerage networks – including the repainting of Chatterton Tower.”
The first deliveries of scaffolding started arriving on Monday It will take up to six weeks to complete the scaffolding alone.
After that, the scaffolding skeleton around the tower will be wrapped in a polythene cover. Although the steam clean techniques being used to clean and repaint the tower are gentle, the polythene covers provide an extra barrier to stop any debris escaping.
After steam cleaning the tower – an effective, yet gentle, cleaning method which minimises the amount of water used the tower – will then be repainted in the hallmark tulip colours.
In total, the project will take six months, including the set up and removal of the scaffolding, which alone will take 12 weeks. All work will take place between normal working hours, 9am-5pm, so that local disruption is kept to a minimum.
Mick added: “Chatterton keeps taps flowing by providing a steady, secure store of clean drinking water for 22,000 properties in Spalding and the surrounding rural area. It’s an essential part of the water supply network, providing both water storage and pressure for customers.”
Chatterton Tower will be repainted in the same ‘terracotta and white’ tulip colour scheme, as it was originally painted in 1997. Before then it was a utilitarian concrete building without paintwork. This decision comes after consultation with South Holland District Council. Colour swatches are being painted onto the tower for local councillors to preview before the full paint job gets under way.
Keep updated with the project by visiting www.anglianwater.co.uk/chatterton or www.anglianwater.co.uk/inyourarea.
