Ye new well!

Giant underground storage tank being built in Delph by United Utilities.

AS holes go, they don’t get much bigger than this one in Delph.

It is actually a giant underground storage tank being constructed at the back of the village primary school as part of massive £5.5 million project by United Utilities.

At 65ft wide and almost 60ft deep, the tank can hold as much water as an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

When completed it will be able to syphon away around 440,000 gallons of water during heavy storms to ease the pressure on local sewers and cut the risk of flooding. Youngsters from the primary school and villagers got a sneak peak at the construction during an open day.

Tessa Smith, United Utilities project co-ordinator, explained: “Our engineers have been a regular addition to village life since we started here in March.

“The team have been chatting to local people about the project, but there’s no substitute for actually coming along to see where the money from water bills is being spent. “The new storm storage tank and the larger sewers we have laid will serve this community well for decades to come, so it’s a chance for residents to come and see history in the making before it is all buried below ground.”

The extensive work, that can be seen from miles around, are part of a £3.6 billion investment scheme by United Utilities between 2010 and 2015 to improve services in the North-West.

Work on the tank is expected to be completed by early 2012.