A £4.3m project has seen the creation of a new storm tank to help protect water quality in the River Leven in North Yorkshire.
Northumbrian Water has made the investment at its Great Ayton Sewage Treatment Works (STW).
The tank is capable of holding back 317m³ – the equivalent of more than 2,000 bathtubs – of combined surface water and sewage, reducing the potential for storm conditions to result in spills to the environment.
During storms, such tanks retain additional volumes of wastewater that enter the site, allowing it to be treated once the flows resulting from the rainfall subside.
The work on the site, which is to the North of the A173 between Great Ayton and Stokesley, has been carried out by the water company’s partner, Esh-Stantec. With the storm tank now in operation, final related works are being completed to allow the project team to leave the site.
Jonathan Shaw, Northumbrian Water’s Project Manager, said: “Adding storm tanks to our sewage treatment works is a great way of adding protection to the local environment in the face of the challenges of climate change.
“This investment increases the capacity of incoming combined rainfall and sewage that can enter the site in a way that protects the River Leven, and we are happy to say that this is now delivering for the environment.”