PREPARATIONS are underway for Sothern Water to carry out a major repair on a sewer pipe which burst near Ryde seafront.

The company responded to the burst by deploying tankers and nurse tanks to Appley car park yesterday afternoon (Friday, November 29).

A Southern Water spokesperson said: "We’re tackling a burst rising main at Appley Road. We don’t know the cause of the issue at this moment, as there are multiple reasons for why a sewer may burst.

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"Our first focus is on protecting the environment and doing a repair."

The company has warned of likely disruption during the evening and overnight when the repair is carried out on Wednesday, December 4, from 6pm.

Engineers have already carried out work to mitigate against the immediate environmental impact of the burst, and are preparing to shut down the Appley Transfer Station on Wednesday evening, so repairs can take place.

Only as recently as April 2022, Southern Water had repaired a collapsed, outdated 1980s sewer pipe in Appley and replaced it with "future proof" new pipework, to take waste from 27,000 homes in Ryde, Nettlestone, and Binstead, to its treatment works in Sandown.  

The spokesperson for the utility firm added: "We’re sorry for the disruption in the Appley area following a burst sewer.

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"Our teams are at the site in Appley Road, and have put a plan in place to protect the environment while we plan for a major repair to take place in the evening and overnight on December 4.

"Due to the nature of the repair, it will cause further disruption and require us to use a large number of tankers, currently located at Appley car park, following agreement with Isle of Wight Council.

"We have contacted key stakeholders in the area, and will send letters to nearby residents, and text messages, with further information in the coming days."