Martin Green, Acting Director of Estates (Projects), says: “This is civil engineering on a large scale."

Maureen Cherry, who is managing the drainage project for Estates, inspects the newly laid new sewage pipes.

Contractors working on a major upgrade to the campus drainage system have laid massive new sewage pipes with a diameter of 2m in a trench up to 7.5m deep.

Martin Green, Acting Director of Estates (Projects), says: “This is civil engineering on a large scale. We realize it’s making the campus look rather a mess at the moment, but this is an extremely complex project and it’s important that we get it right.

“The drainage works are just part of our ongoing £200m investment in the campus.”

The drainage works, which are due for completion in December, affect the main spinal route of the campus along the pedestrian path from Arts Road, past Shawcross and Chichester 1, across the green at Arts A, through Fulton Court (Library Square), down Gardner Centre Road and to the south-west of Falmer House.

The next phase of work will cause disruption between Shawcross and the Arts Piazza café, just near the Arts Road bridge.

From Monday (7 October) a temporary path will be in operation at this location for a period of six weeks, and pedestrians and cyclists will be asked to use the Arts A steps and Shawcross steps (or North-South Road) if possible in order to minimise the numbers passing through this busy area. Access will continue to be possible for wheelchair and buggy users.

The drainage upgrade is needed because the existing system is near capacity during peak periods and, with only a single connection to the public drain, it is vulnerable to backing up and flooding if a blockage occurs.

Nor does the existing system have sufficient capacity to cope with the increased flow and volume that will be generated by the planned increase in student numbers to 18,000 students by 2018.

In order to accommodate the forthcoming redevelopment of East Slope and the future construction of a new science building, additional drains are required around campus to provide increased capacity.

Maureen Cherry, who is managing the project for Estates, explains: “The upgrade will provide both short-term resilience and long-term additional capacity to allow the University to plan for future growth.”

Further information about the project is available online. If you have any questions or comments, E efmhelpdesk@sussex.ac.uk or call ext 7777.