£500k investment to reduce storm overflows into Bain and Ure rivers

Yorkshire Water is planning to invest £500,000 in Bainbridge, North Yorkshire to reduce the number of discharges into the river Bain, a tributary of the river Ure. 

A new underground storage tank will be constructed near Bainbridge wastewater treatment works to hold storm water during periods of heavy or prolonged rainfall. 

The tank will help to slow the flow of wastewater to the storm overflow, reducing discharges, before returning the stored water into the sewer network to allow it to be treated. 

Yorkshire Water is also replacing a section of sewer near Bainbridge wastewater treatment works after investigations found groundwater infiltration into the combined sewer system. 

It is expected that the work, which is being carried out by Mott MacDonald Bentley and will start in the summer, will reduce discharges from Bainbridge wastewater treatment works by almost 75%. 

Mudassar Ahmed, senior project manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “We know discharges from storm overflows are a key issue for our customers. We’re determined to reduce their operation across Yorkshire and are investing £180m by April 2025 to tackle the issue and improve water quality in our rivers and at our coast.  

“By increasing the storage available at Bainbridge and reducing infiltration into the combined sewer network we will significantly reduce the number of discharges to the Bain, improving water quality and benefitting the Ure.  

“This is one of many projects in the York catchment area. Work is already underway at Fishergate and Coney Street in York and at Kexby wastewater treatment works to reduce discharges into the Foss, Ouse and Derwent. We are continuing to develop plans for several other overflows in the area.” 

The projects are part of a £180m investment project across Yorkshire, to be completed by the end of April 2025, to reduce discharges from storm overflows.