Villagers will be hoping work announced by South East Water will finally solve their water supply problems.

The water company has said it will be laying 200 metres of new drinking water mains in Marden as work started this week.

The £150,000 project will see a new pipe laid in private land adjacent to Maidstone Road, between Milebush Lane and St Anne’s Green.

Residents in that part of the village have been complaining for three years about low water pressure.

In July, the supply was so poor that the company had to issue every household with four cases of bottled water each.

Claudine Russell is the borough councillor for Marden and also lives in the affected area.

She said: “This will be very much welcomed by villagers - just with the proviso they are sensible about road closures.

“There was a time recently when KCC was planning to close both Underlyn Lane and Maidstone Road for resurfacing at the same time, which would have left us unable to get out of the village. Fortunately we had that changed.”

Problems began a few years ago after a water main under the railway bridge collapsed.

Prior to that there had been a continuous ring main around the village, but subsequently residents in the Milebush area found their supply coming from a dog-leg supply.

Residents said the problem had worsened with new building in the village, adding to demand on the restricted supply.

Cllr Russell said: “There’s perhaps been permission granted for 650 new homes in the last few years.

“But it’s only in the past year or so, once the homes have been occupied, that we have begun to really see the effects.”

The water company said then that the low pressure was due to old piping, adding difficulties seemed to be very specific to particular areas, with residents at one end of Battle Lane saying their supply was fine.

Jeremy Dufour, South East Water’s project manager, said: “This investment will enable us to improve water pressure in the area and maintain the flow of top quality tap water to our customers in the local community.”

The work is expected to take seven weeks to complete and during that time both Milebush Lane and St Anne’s Green Lane will, for certain periods, be closed to traffic at their junctions with the B2079, Maidstone Road.

Maidstone Road itself will also need to be closed for a short time, but the company said it would time that closure with the October half-term holiday to minimise traffic disruption.

Access to homes and businesses will be maintained at all times.

The Milebush Lane closure is scheduled for September 26 to October 8, St Anne’s Green Lane from October 10 to October 22, and Maidstone Road from October 24 to October 26.

Mr Dufour said: “Road closures are always a last resort but in this case are vital to ensure the safety of our team and the public while we install the new pipe.

“Our team will work as quickly and safely as possible to complete the project as soon as possible. I would like to thank the local community in advance for their patience and understanding while we carry out this essential work.”

South East Water has been asked for an update on the progress of the works, which were scheduled to begin on Monday.

Details of diversion routes can be found at southeastwater.co.uk/maidstoneroad