The work has also seen the replacement of pipes connecting the water mains to 2,430 properties, and additional valving has been added to the network.

The mains renewal has involved old cast iron mains being replaced with new, durable plastic piping, while the additional valves add flexibility to the network, meaning that if a pipe bursts, network changes can be made quickly to reduce the impact to customers.

United Living, Northumbrian Water’s partner, has carried out the work.

The investment in upgrades will add resilience to the network and help to protect supplies for thousands of people.

The project is part of a wider £74 mile investment in the company’s water network across five years, which will see a total of more than 360km of older pipe replaced across the North East.

Brian Hardy, Northumbrian Water’s Project Manager, said:

“It is vital that we carry out projects like this, to make sure our customers continue to receive the best quality tap water, and to reduce the risk of bursts that can cause disruption and interruptions to supply.

“Renewing water mains on this scale, particularly when we are working within residential areas, can be very disruptive for our customers, and we would like to thank the people of Felling and Pelaw for their patience during this work.”