A £1.3m project to boost water supplies for thousands of people in South Lakeland gets under way on Monday.

United Utilities needs to complete a 2km link main near Haverthwaite to improve services to around 6,000 people. The work, lasting until May, will involve two temporary road closures, and diversions.

A public information event will take place at St Anne’s Church Hall, in Haverthwaite, between 3pm and 7pm, on Thursday, February 6. Anyone is welcome to drop in and look at plans, or talk to project staff.

Project co-ordinator Bill Slater said the scheme was vital to prevent winter water shortages in places like Coniston, Hawkshead, Grizedale, Greenodd, Haverthwaite, and the Crake and Rusland Valleys.

“All these communities get their water supply from a reservoir high above Coniston, called Levers Water. It’s usually a reliable source of water, but it is high in the mountains and in the winter, when the water starts to freeze, it can be harder to treat in the quantities people need.

“Our new pipe will connect people to the huge regional network of pipes fed by Haweswater reservoir, which will give much more reliable water supplies whatever the weather. It’s the sort of essential project their water bills help pay for,” he said.

The pipe will run along the B5278, from near Bigland Wood to Low Wood Bridge, where it will divert into farmland around Haverthwaite village and pass under the A590 before re-joining the road at Lane Ends, along The Causeway and ending at Pool Bridge.