A VITAL £1.4m investment project to secure water supplies and make Alton’s water network more flexible is nearing completion.

South East Water started work on the scheme – part of its five-year £424m investment programme – in February and it is currently entering the final stages.

The aim has been to lay 3,000 metres of new water main through private land from Windmill Hill to Selborne Road, continuing on to Butts Road and The Butts and along Whitedown Lane to its junction with the B3349.

With this stretch almost completed, as of last Monday the company started work to lay 70 metres of new pipe along Windmill Lane to connect up with the existing water network in Caker Lane (B3304). For safety reasons, a section of Windmill Lane, near its junction with Caker Lane, will be closed until October 23.

Matthew Cooper, project manager at South East Water, said: “I would like to thank residents, businesses and motorists for their patience while this important work has taken place.

“I am pleased to say that we are entering the final stages of this vital project.

“We would urge motorists who normally use Windmill Lane to follow the official diversion, via Wilsom Road, Ashdell Road, Lower Turk Street, Turk Street and Windmill Hill.”

When the Windmill Lane work is complete, the workforce will move back to A339 Whitedown Lane to connect the new pipeline to the existing network at the junction with Chawton Park Road.