CASE STUDIES

Blackfriars Academy – Water Mains

OUR CLIENT

Shaw Education Trust is a growing multi-academy trust sponsored by Shaw Trust. They lead and manage academies in all phases, all sectors and in all communities. We have worked extensively with Shaw Education Trust on a wide variety of projects, such as a gas mains replacement at Foris Academy, a pool plant room refurb at Saxon Hill Academy, and a plant room refurbishment carried out at Blackfriars last year.

THE CHALLENGE

Blackfriars Academy, part of the Shaw Education Trust, had been experiencing persistent issues with their water supply. Despite no obvious signs of leakage, the school reported unusually high-water usage, raising concerns over hidden faults in the existing infrastructure.
Initial investigations by Ford Mainwaring confirmed a leak within the underground supply network. Given the age and condition of the existing pipework, a partial repair was unlikely to provide a long-term solution. Working closely with the Trust, it was agreed that a complete replacement of the main water supply line was the most effective and future-proof course of action.

THE BRIEFING

Ford Mainwaring designed and implemented a comprehensive plan to replace the entire main water supply to the academy, with particular attention given to both the main plant room and an old classroom block that required direct reconnection.
Our team of experienced engineers carried out the following:

Full Pipe Replacement
Approximately 3 holes were excavated in order to remove the existing water main and install the new 50mm MDPE pipe within the existing 3.5” cast main.

New Branch Connections
New water connections were created by cutting into the existing cast main to expose the new water main and the connections were made by cutting into the new MDPE.
Where existing branches fed other blocks, sections of pipe were removed and reconnected with new boundary stop taps, improving control and access.

Leak Detection & Route Testing
We investigated the route of an existing branch line leading towards the sports building, pressure-testing in both directions to identify the source of the leak.

Improved Infrastructure
Control valves were added at each new connection point, allowing for isolation during future maintenance without disrupting the entire supply.

Safety Testing & Certification
Once the new pipe was installed, it was thoroughly pressure-tested, chlorinated, and certified safe for use. Data from the testing was recorded and shared with the client as part of our handover process.