Water firm announces £7.3m wastewater scheme

The scheme aims to improve water quality in local rivers by reducing the amount of phosphorus in treated wastewater

Yorkshire Water said it is investing £7.3m at its East Yorkshire wastewater treatment site to improve water quality in the area.

The scheme aims to reduce the amount of phosphorus in the treated wastewater returned to the environment.

The company said it would help to improve the water quality of the river downstream of the works in Pocklington.

It comes after the firm was told to repay customers £36m by the industry regulator Ofwat as a result of poor performance on pollution, leaks and customer satisfaction.

According to the firm, phosphorus is a normal part of domestic sewage, entering the sewer system via domestic showers and washing machines from detergent and shampoo.

It can also come from agricultural fields after the use of fertilisers.

While a small amount of phosphorus is harmless, it can become damaging to human and animal life when unmanaged, a spokesperson said.

Project manager Mark Hewison said the scheme was one of a number planned across the region, including one which was recently completed at nearby Bishop Wilton.

"Improving the health of our rivers is incredibly important to us and our customers, which is why we have committed to investing £500m in phosphorus removal by 2025.”

Work on the Pocklington project is due to be completed by spring 2025.

Ofwat's review assessed the performance of the 17 largest water and wastewater companies in England and Wales against key targets, for issues such as sewer flooding, supply interruptions and water leaks.

Thames Water will have to make the largest repayment to customers of £56.8m, although its overall performance improved from 2023.

Anglian Water was told to repay £38.1m.

In response, Yorkshire Water said it was investing almost £800m in its infrastructure across the region and was "committed to doing right by our customers".

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