Upgrades to a County Durham sewage treatment works (STW) will help to protect watercourses in the area.
Northumbrian Water has invested £830,000 in the work at Bowburn, updating elements of the treatment process to ensure the water released back to the environment, via Bowburn Beck, meets the high standards necessary to protect the environment.
Bowburn Beck ultimately flows to the River Wear, south of Durham City.
Northumbrian Water has worked with partners Aquazone to carry out the upgrades.
Dean Thompson, Project Manager at Northumbrian Water, said: “We’ve carried out this work as part of our wider Water Industry National Environmental Programme, supporting environmental improvements in our region’s watercourses.
“The investment adds resilience to Bowburn STW and the services it provides, helping to protect water quality in Bowburn Beck and downstream.”