Motorists are being warned of delays and possible tailbacks in Falmouth’s town centre later this month when essential work is carried out on behalf of South West Water.

Town manager Richard Gates has told traders: “Understandably there will be a fair bit of disruption and a process is being worked out for articulated lorries to still get through but it is essential work that needs to be completed.”

The work to be carried out includes saline intrusion sealing of selected existing foul sewers in the tidal zone area of Prince of Wales Pier and parts of Market Strand which are allowing sea water into the sewers at high tide.

The salt water is causing major problems at the sewage treatment works as it causes the treatment process to not work effectively and in some cases where high levels of salt water enter the system, the process can be greatly affected. As a result, SWW need to line and patch the existing sewers to prevent this from happening.

In addition, a large volume of surface water is currently entering into the combined foul sewer system and this is to be removed and connected to the existing surface water outfalls.

This will be done by open-cut excavating a new connecting pipe and manhole to divert flows from existing road gullies into the surface water outfall on the pier and a couple of other locations.

The work will be carried out by Balfour Beatty and has been scheduled for after half term and before Easter to avoid the peak visitor period. They are due to begin on February 24 when a seven day road closure will be introduced along Market Strand.

To allow vehicles access to the town centre, the flow of traffic will be reversed along Webber Street round the roundabout and down lower Killigrew Street. After the first week, there will still be restrictions in place managed through signage and lights.