Northumbrian Water has set out plans to upgrade its sewage treatment works at Crookhall near Consett in County Durham as part of a wider programme to remove phosphorus from wastewater.
The £1.7 million investment will enable water to be treated to a higher standard before it is released into the adjacent Smallhope Burn waterway.
Crookhall is one of 27 treatment works in Northumbrian’s region that will receive the upgrade under the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), of which phosphorus removal is a key part.
A chemical dosing plant will be installed at the site to ensure it meets the phosphorus discharge consent of 0.9mg/l that will apply from April 2025.
Charles Harman, Northumbrian’s project manager, said: “This investment at Crookhall will mean we can take treatment even further. That means improvements for water quality in Smallhope Burn and downstream as it feeds the River Browney.”
Northumbrian has partnered with Mott MacDonald Bentley to carry out the work, which is due to be completed in September.
Water companies in England must complete work under the WINEP to meet their environmental obligations. For 2020-25 the sector will spend £5.2 billion on asset improvements, investigations, monitoring and catchment interventions.