work has begun on a major £3.5 million scheme to bring better water quality to 3,900 properties in Chorley town centre and Charnock Richard.

Some 36 kilometres of obsolete iron mains will be refurbished as part of an ongoing programme of water quality improvements across the region, says North West Water.

Pipes to housing around the outskirts of the town centre will be dealt with first, in a bid to minimise disruption to the town's commercial heart.

Next spring, work will begin in the town centre and Charnock Richard, including a new trunk main laid along Pall Mall and Moor Road.

The new plastic mains will help to reduce bursts and instances of low pressure or discoloured water.

Residents and shopkeepers affected by the work -- which will take at least a year to complete -- have been consulted and received leaflets about the project.

Over the next five years, North West Water says it is investing £3 billion in water quality and environmental improvements, the largest programme of its kind ever seen in the UK.