Due to the potential of finding something significant during the dig, experts form NP Archaeology will be on site during the excavation to spot potential artefacts.

The waste water company are currently in the process of upgrading the town’s sewer system, which will prevent sewage being discharged into the river Darwen at times of heavy rainfall. The work at Cob Wall is taking place in two phases over the next two years.

United Utilities will also be constructing an underground waste water storage tank to capture excess stormwater in a car park off Preston Old Road.

The United Utilities project manager on the job, Carly Atherton said:

“This project is all about creating a cleaner, greener future for Blackburn. Improving the quality of local rivers and coastal waters is vital for the environment, for tourism and for business. We will be doing everything we can to minimise disruption during the two new phases of work.

“The work in Cob Wall is especially interesting from an archaeological point of view, as this part of Blackburn was the site of many industrial revolution era textile mills. The archaeologists will be working shoulder to shoulder with our engineers, to make sure any significant artefacts are preserved.”

The scheme will be taking place for three months and will see sewers around High Road in Leytonstone increase in size. It is being completed by Thames Water drainage contractors.

Approximately 1km of sewerage will be replaced by the contractors which should stop sewer flooding, a problem which residents have complained about for a number of years.

The programme delivery manager for Thames Water, Mark Taylor, stated:

“Sewer flooding is a truly miserable experience and we are committed to doing everything we can to protect our customers by making the network fit for the future.

“We are sorry for any disruption caused but we ask customers to bear with us while we get this essential work done.”

The work will take place along roads including, Belton Road, Argyle Road, Borthwick Road, Hall Road, Downsell Road and Victoria Road.

The Waltham Forest Council cabinet member, Clyde Loakes stated:

“We have been working closely with Thames Water to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum and to make sure the Olympic 2012 street scene improvement works, particularly along the High Road, are not affected.”

Drains can be blocked by many things, from the inadvertent flushing of a non-disposable item down the toilet, to pipe collapse. However, when you contact a professional drain cleaning company they will be able to help with most problems.

Drainage blocked by debris

If your drains are found to be blocked due to debris, the usual method of repair is drain jetting. In this process a jet of water at high pressure is directed down the drain, which is usually enough to break up the clog.

Drainage blocked by roots

If the drainage company find that your drainage pipes are blocked by roots they will be able to insert a spinning root cutter into the drain to trim away any roots they find. They will then usually be able to repair the pipe in situ without any exaction by means of a resin pipe liner.

Drainage blocked by pipe collapse

If your drainage pipe has collapsed or deviated significantly, the drainage company will be able to locate the exact point at which this has happened and then excavate a small area to replace the damaged section, thus minimising disruption to the surrounding area.

Most cracks in drainage pipes can only be found after a CCTV survey has been carried out. The drain may be recurrently becoming blocked or foul odours may be noticed in the vicinity of the drainage pipe. When this happens the drainage professionals will have to carry out a full investigation of the drainage system so the cause of the problem can be located.

The best way that drainage professionals can look at the structure of the drainage system is to use a CCTV survey camera. The camera is inserted into the drain and images of the inside of the drainage pipe are relayed onto a computer screen, which can then be analysed by the drainage professionals.

When the location of the break in the drain has been found, an epoxy-resin liner can be inserted into the drain and blown to the damaged section of pipe. The liner then sets in situ and provides a water tight seal that no water or waste can penetrate.

Drain cleaners have a wealth of knowledge concerning many different types of drain blockages. They use this experience to their advantage and can often solve some of the most difficult drainage problems quite quickly.
Some of the services a drain cleaning company offers include:

• Drain unblocking
• Root removal
• Water jetting
• Scale removal
• CCTV surveys
• Pipe replacement

Many of the drainage problems which drain cleaners find are unfortunately caused by the homeowners themselves. Homeowners commonly dispose of items such as fat and food debris into their drain. This is not however the best thing to do, as the accumulation of these items can eventually block a drain completely.

When liquid fat is poured into a drain it cools and then solidifies. This can block a drain and cause waste to back up into a person’s home. Fat can be removed from a drain quite successfully by using high pressure water jetting. The water can blast through stubborn clogs and leave the drain free to carry waste again.

The old adage prevention is better than cure is definitely true in terms of drains. And if a drain is well maintained the incidence of blockages can be dramatically reduced. It’s only when drains are neglected that problems occur, but this doesn’t have to be the case.

Drain maintenance is essential in every home and can be equally important for businesses too. There are many reasons why a drain may become blocked, some of these include:

• Pipe corrosion
• Pipe damage
• Scale build up
• Tree root infiltration
• Pipe collapse
• Ground movement
• Build up of fat or other food waste
• The presence of an non-disposable item

All these problems and more can be treated by drainage professionals in London, who with the help of a drain maintenance programme can put an end to drain blockages and keep your drains properly maintained.

The sewage works at Mogden has seen major refurbishments take place since August 2010 and when complete will be able to cope with an increased quantity of sewage. The upgrade at the site has long been overdue but the end result will see the sewage treated more efficiently and odour levels dramatically reduced. The increased quantity of sewage treated will reduce the chances of storm tanks becoming full at times of heavy rainfall and hence reduce the chances of a discharge into the River Thames.

The sewage works at Mogden are expected to coast in the region of £140m. The head of programme delivery at Thames Water, Nick Fawcett, stated:

“We have done the bulk of the construction work and we’d like to thank the neighbours for bearing with us.

“We’ve done everything we can to minimise disruption but the worst part is over, the foundations are in place and by spring this year half of the new works will be operating.

“We still have a 200-strong team working on the site but the focus of the activity is now shifting from civil engineering – such as building foundations and tanks, to mechanical engineering and electrical installation, which will help to get the tanks up and running.”

Drains in London are frequently blocked by the growth of scale and the disposal of liquid fats into the drainage system. Because of this they need to be cleaned on a regular basis so that they remain in a good working condition.

A few drain unblocking methods used by professional drain cleaners in London include:

Electro-mechanical cleaning

Mechanical cutters are inserted into the drainage network which cut scale from the insides of the drainage pipes. This restores the drain to its previous waste carrying capacity and helps to reduce the chances of a blockage occurring.

Water jetting

When water is directed into the drain under high pressure, it is usually enough to clear a stubborn clog. The water can also remove accumulated debris from the drain and can hence reduce the chance of future blockages.

Drain rodding

Drain rods can be inserted into a drain to manually push though a drain blockage. The rods push the clog to the nearest manhole where the debris can be removed.

Waste water company, United Utilities, is currently working with the UK Water Industry and the European Association of Manufacturers so a test protocol can be designed which will enable products to be labelled as sewer friendly. The products will of course have to pass rigorous tests to attain this accreditation.

There are currently many products in the market which are being labelled as safe to flush down the toilet, but are in fact causing countless problems at sewage treatment works. United Utilities run their ‘What Not to Flush’ campaign to try to educate the general public what can and what can’t be flushed down the toilet. But the misleading information currently found on product packaging is hampering their cause.

United Utilities regional wastewater network manager, Mike Wood, stated:

“It’s no wonder our customers are confused. We’re calling on manufacturers and retailers to ensure these products are labelled clearly and correctly, to avoid the mess, expense and environmental damage of sewer flooding.”

Blocked drains in North London

If the blockage in the bathroom or the kitchen is severe, common methods used to remove the blockage such as plungers or drain snakes may not work. In these situations it is best to hire a drain cleaning London service which can use specialist equipment to clear the clog.

Many people try to unblock drains themselves, but only make matters worse when water overflows and damages their property. Professional drain cleaners in London have all the equipment on hand to do the job easily. And because they tackle drain blockages every day are well versed at clearing all sorts of clogs.
If you have a drain blockage in North London, you should always turn to a professional service which will solve the problem for you.