A MAJOR drainage network update in St Helier has been delayed by seven months because of conflicts arising from an “unsafe” water main, the Infrastructure Minister has confirmed.
Deputy Jonathan Renouf explained that work to install a length of new sewer pipe along Phase 1b of the Northern Sewer Network project will now finish at the end of May 2027, instead of October 2026.
He said that the delay was because of a “conflict that was identified with a water main” located within the route of the proposed sewer.
“That led to a ‘stop work notice’ being issued to the contractor because the conflict with the water main meant that it was unsafe to work without the risk of damaging that water main”, he added.
Speaking during this week’s States sitting, the Infrastructure Minister said that Jersey Water “attended immediately” and installed a temporary main to which local residents were then connected.
Work to install the new sewer pipe was “restarted earlier this month”, he said, adding that the revised conclusion date of May 2027 represented a “slight improvement” on earlier forecasts of June 2027.
Deputy Victoria Li earlier asked Deputy Renouf if he had plans to commission a “traffic and road-safety impact assessment” to manage complications emerging from the Northern Sewer Network Upgrades, hospital construction works and other planned developments in St Helier North.
“Will he commission such an assessment, including consultation with residents and schools, before further temporary traffic arrangements are approved?”, she enquired.
In his response, the minister said that there was “no single cumulative impact assessment” covering all of the planned works.
“Cumulative traffic, road safety and access impacts are considered through the assessment and approval of each individual scheme”, he explained.
“I do not propose to commission or publish a separate overarching assessment, but would reassure Members and the public that the nature of the interactions between the different schemes are fully considered.”
He later added that Islanders would “need to accept” that the construction of the new acute hospital, in particular, is going to be “disruptive” and “difficult”.
Deputy Karen Wilson had suggested in a supplementary question that the Infrastructure Department might benefit from “better oversight and coordination” as the Island enters a phase of “significant” development.
But Deputy Renouf insisted that he would continue to rely on a “dynamic” approach to resident complaints – including the possibility of monthly meetings with residents of “affected areas”.
“There is going to be a lot of work going on, and I think we need to accept that it is going to be disruptive”, he said. “There is absolutely no question about it: building the biggest construction project in the Island’s history is going to involve disruption.
“It is going to be difficult for people and I fully understand and accept that.”
He concluded: “I think the processes we have in place to manage the conflicts that will arise are good.
“I would rather have a dynamic response, rather than one that sits at an overarching strategic level that would quickly, potentially, become out of date.”
