SOUTHERN Water has appointed a team of people, pictured, to handle improvement projects worth around £100m over the next four years.

The work involves the upgrading of sewers and treatment works across the region. In Hampshire seven schemes have been agreed including the upgrading of the Chickenhall sewage treatment works at Eastleigh.

Leading the new team is major projects manager Paul Bradley who will be working with business managers Keith Jeffery and Wayne Middleton and Chris Sharp as operations liaison manager.

The appointments follow the signing of contracts with Morrison/Halliburton Brown & Root and Black & Veatch/Costain for the design and construction work which will be carried out during the next four years.

Mr Bradley said: "We will be carrying out the necessary work over the course of the next four years with the result that rivers, streams and watercourses in the south will be cleaner than they have ever been.

"We do not have specific scheme details for individual areas at present - that is what our teams are now looking at. The 200 schemes will improve the quality of water."

The investment programme is part of Southern Water's £1bn worth of environmental improvements being undertaken between 2000 and 2005.