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Hadrian’s Wall Section Found During Waterworks!
Sunset at Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, England
A 1,900-year-old section of Hadrian’s Wall has just been discovered by workers from Northumbrian Water, who were busy carrying out works on a water main just outside Newcastle city centre when they uncovered the three metre-long artefact.
The water supplier was carrying out part of a £5 million scheme to improve tap water quality to approximately half a million customers in Tyneside, when the project was interrupted by the exciting find.
It’s thought that the section is from one of the earliest phases of the landmark, because it was built using large blocks of stone. Later phases of the build saw much smaller pieces of stone used. Because of the discovery, the pipe route of the water main is now going to be angled, so as to leave a buffer around the trench.
Project manager Graeme Ridley said: “It is amazing that we have been able to make this brilliant discovery, and we are glad to be working with Archaeological Research Services to make sure that it is properly protected going forwards.
“This is an incredibly special part of North East heritage and we are honoured to be a part of it. We have completed work in the area and this vital work has been carried out in order to futureproof our water supplies and ensure that our customers continue to receive excellent and high-quality tap water.”
The pipe-cleaning programme being carried out across the area will see nine kilometres of water mains cleaned in 18 different locations around Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside, forming part of a bigger £66 million cleaning initiative that started back in 2010 and has thus far seen over 221km of strategic mains cleaned to date.
Earlier this year, the Consumer Council for Water’s 2020 Water Matters report revealed that Northumbrian Water is, in fact, the most reliable water company in the country, providing the most reliable services and emerging as the most trusted by customers for the last ten years.
When asked to what extent water companies were trusted on a scale of one to ten, Northumbrian Water came top – and has done since 2011. Interestingly, trust in companies has climbed over the last decade, up from 7.33 in 2011 to 7.876 now.
Customer director Claire Sharp commented on the findings, saying how pleased the supplier is to have scored highly in customer trust, as well as satisfaction in relation to handling queries.
She went on to say that the aim is to ensure that every customer has a great experience when dealing with the company and that they’re put at the very heart of everything Northumbrian Water does. The supplier is always on the lookout for innovative ways in which to work, so as to improve services and continue to provide an unrivalled experience for customers.
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