Underground water tank set to be installed in town

The tank will look similar to this one, currently being installed in Carlton in Nottinghamshire, Severn Trent says

Work is under way to install a large underground water tank to alleviate flooding in a Leicestershire town.

Severn Trent Water is putting the tank beneath the car park of Hinckley's Sparkenhoe Business Centre in Southfield Road.

The tank - which can store the equivalent of 40,000 bathtubs of water - is designed to ease pressure on the sewage system during heavy rain.

Severn Trent is spending £6.7m on measures to enhance the sewer network in the town.

'Healthier waterways'

Initial work, which started on Monday, will see the ground prepared and site access set up prior to the tank being installed.

The lower car park at the business centre will be closed during the project - except to deliveries and disabled customers - which is due to be completed by early 2025.

Helen Purdy, community communications officer at the water firm, said: "This work will improve our network and create additional storage for some of this rainwater, which can then be released more slowly into the sewer system.

"This will help to cut down the current use of storm overflows and ultimately improve the health of local waterways."

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