Major work on upgrading the Isle of Sheppey's water supply has begun.

A road to Ridham Docks, which passes under the Kingsferry Bridge, was closed to traffic at the roundabout with the Old Ferry Road and Sheppey Way today (Monday) to allow engineers to set up drilling equipment.

Vehicles now have to use the A249, Swale Way and Barge Way. The closure is expected to last six weeks.

Southern Water is installing two new mains under The Swale to feed the Island after two major leaks in July left thousands of homes and businesses without water.

Emergency supplies were shipped in by a fleet of tankers and bottles of water had to be distributed from car parks.

A Southern Water spokesman said: "We have been designing a new, more reliable and resilient water supply system for the island. We’ve worked with local councils, the Environment Agency, Natural England and other key stakeholders to gain the necessary consents to work by the river and carry out a major construction project."

Work should be completed by the end of the year.

Staff have also had to check for any unexploded bombs in the area as this was deemed a "significant risk".

Sheppey already has an 18-inch (457mm) pipeline built in 1960 which runs along the Kingsferry bridge and a larger two-feet (600mm) pipe built in 1979 running under the Swale.

The two new pipes will each be 15-inches in diameter (400mm) and will be linked so water can be switched between them.

Southern Water says it will take two weeks to set up the construction site, two weeks to drill the hole for the first pipe, two weeks to drill the second hole, one week to pressure-test the pipes, 19 weeks to install the connections, eight weeks to re-line the 18-inch main on the Kingsferry Bridge and two weeks to pressure test the whole system.

The company has worked with the Environment Agency and Natural England to minimise any environmental impacts during the work and has obtained all necessary consents and licences.

There will be no impact on water traffic.