Northumbrian Water has completed a £4.9m project that will help to protect water quality in the River Tyne.
Upgrades at the water company’s sewage treatment works (STW) in Hexham will ensure the site’s resilience and help maintain the quality of the final effluent released, reducing the risk of pollution.
The Hexham project, which started in July 2023, was carried out by Northumbrian Water’s partner, Esh-Stantec.
STWs take waste from customers’ homes and local industry and treat it to the high standards required so that it can be returned to the environment.
Northumbrian Water’s Project Manager, Ian Davison said: “These upgrades at Hexham will ensure the site continues to provide resilient wastewater treatment services and to protect the Tyne by ensuring the area’s sewage is treated to the standards required to protect the environment.
“We continue to invest across the region in upgrades and projects similar to this, as we work towards our ambition of having the best rivers and coastlines in the country.”
David Pratt, Esh-Stantec’s Divisional Director, said: “This project marks the second major treatment works upgrade that Esh-Stantec has completed for Northumbrian Water, following the successful delivery of a similar scheme at Kelloe wastewater treatment works last year.
“As we gear up for the delivery of the AMP8 investment programme, we look forward to bringing our expertise to more projects of this nature to provide real benefits for communities and the surrounding environment.”
Nearby, work continues on a £3.5m project to triple the capacity of Wark Sewage Treatment Works (STW), in Wark-on-Tyne.
The Wark project involves upgrading the site’s inlet, as well as the addition of two new treatment tanks, adding the extra capacity needed to deal with recent and future developments in the village, as well as additional rain from climate change.
The site was previously capable of taking in 2.7 litres of combined sewage and rainwater a second, with the enhancements increasing that to 7.6 litres per second. Work at Wark is being carried out by Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB).