Water firm spends £6.8m keeping eels out of pipes

The new features are being installed at Caton and Halton, near Lancaster

A water company is to spend £6.m to protect eels from getting caught in pipes.

United Utilities will put screens or rotating sieves on equipment in the River Lune near Caton and Halton, near Lancaster, so fish are either kept out of the pipework, or are returned to the water downstream.

Endangered European eels, which start their lives in the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda before heading to Europe and then returning to their birthplace to spawn 20 years later, have declined by 95% in the last 40 years.

Stephen Walker, who heads water services for UU, said the eels were an "important part of the river's ecology".

The eels swim back to Bermuda to spawn after spending around 20 years in European waters

He added: "This project will play a vital role in supporting the eel population.

"The fish return system at Halton should return most fish back to the river, but just in case any bypass that system, the fine screens we are installing further upstream at Caton will protect those from being caught up in our underwater equipment."

UU said the three screens at Caton will also help protect other fish and organisms, including salmon, trout and shrimp, which are commonly found in the Lune.

A similar project has also been delivered in Cumbria where a system that protects wildlife from being caught up in the water treatment system has been installed at Troutbeck.