Severn Trent is investing £25 million to replace 24-miles of water pipes across Stoke-on-Trent, delivering a reliable and resilient water supply for generations to come, and has today said it recognises that the works, alongside other schemes being carried out on the wider road network, have caused disruption and frustration for residents. 

The company says it understands the impact this is having on the community and is taking steps to minimise disruption wherever possible.

A Severn Trent spokesperson said “We want to reassure residents that we are listening, working closely with local partners, and will continue to keep the community updated as this vital work progresses.

“The short-term disruption will bring long-term benefits, including fewer bursts and leaks, and a stronger, more resilient network supplying homes, schools, hospitals and care homes across the city.

“We understand that these works can be disruptive, and we know how frustrating the current road closures and delays are for local people, and for this we are sorry.  This is a £25 million long-term investment in Stoke, replacing old pipes with modern materials that will strengthen the network and deliver real benefits for customers for decades to come.

The major programme, which began on 1 April 2025 and will run through to early 2027, will see more than 24 miles of water mains replaced across areas including Hanley, Burslem and Sneyd Green. The new pipes are expected to last around 100 years and will significantly reduce leaks and bursts, and lower the risk of future interruptions.

Severn Trent has already held four community drop-in sessions, customer pop-ups and a dedicated briefing for elected representatives to keep residents informed, answer questions and listen to feedback. The company has also worked with local bus operators to provide advance notice of changes and support timetable adjustments, including shuttle services where required.

A drop-in scheduled for this week was cancelled so it could be rescheduled for an afternoon and evening at the request of local people.  The new time, date and location is Tuesday 3^rd February from 1500-1830 at the Bridge Centre, Birches Head Road.

Severn Trent said, “We’ve worked closely with the council, local MPs, councillors, schools and transport providers from the very start of the project, with all traffic management agreed in advance and it is continually reviewed on the ground. We’re also constantly assessing how the plans are working in practice and are committed to making changes where we can to reduce the impact on local roads.

 “All traffic management plans have been agreed with the highways authority and safety is our priority for residents, road users and our teams on site.  Even though it can be frustrating, we’d like to ask motorists to follow signage and diversion routes in place to keep everyone safe,” the spokesperson added.