Collaboration Delivering Cleaner Water for Saxmundham

Challenge

Previous traditional flushing methods were unsuccessful on this stretch of the main
Full mains replacement was considered, but posed high financial cost and environmental impact
Tight operational windows were required to minimise disruption to customers
Unexpected cross-connections complicated network isolation during the cleaning procedure
Maintaining continuous customer supply

Deployed Comprex® trenchless, low‑carbon technology to remove heavy deposits without chemicals or excavation
Used controlled air and water pulses to effectively clean the mains
Delivered a phased night-time cleaning programme to minimise customer disruption
Coordinated daily go/no-go meetings to assess network conditions, weather, and operational risks
Implemented environmental controls, including de-chlorination and filtration using silt socks and straw barriers
Conducted pre- and post-cleaning surveys across all pipe materials to validate results
Ensured close collaboration between NWG, IES Utility Solutions, and specialist Comprex® teams
Every main – spun iron, HPPE and AC – was pre- and post‑surveyed to validate the results.

Cleaned all 9km of mains safely within six nights
Reduced turbidity to below 2.5 NTU
Achieved zero customer interruptions during delivery
Maintained full supply resilience throughout the project
Significantly lowered discolouration risk and customer complaints
Restored confidence in water quality for over 15,000 customers
Extended asset life while avoiding costly and carbon-intensive mains replacement
The method delivered major cost savings by eliminating the need for 9km of mains replacement.
The cleaning extended asset life and avoided future re-flushing cycles, delivering ongoing value.
Overall, the project delivered high-quality water, lower operational costs, reduced carbon footprint and improved system resilience — reinforcing the value of innovative, partnership-led solutions in the water industry.