Yorkshire Water invests £4.8m in Wakefield area to reduce storm overflows

Yorkshire Water has started work on a £4.8m investment to reduce storm overflows into Applehaigh Beck and Hessle Beck, as it continues to improve water quality in the region’s watercourses. 

Contract partner Peter Duffy Limited (PDL) is construction building a new sewage pumping station at Notton Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO).   

The work includes the installation of 286m³ storage tank. The storage will hold excess wastewater during prolonged or heavy rainfall and reduce the frequency and duration of discharges into the beck from the overflow. Once the rainfall event passes, the stored wastewater will be pumped back into the network for full treatment. 

Work will also to take place to divert rainfall entering the combined sewer network to a new surface water sewer, via 34 new gullies and 18 new manholes. The rainfall will be discharges directly into the watercourse, rather than combining it with wastewater in the combined sewer.   

Reducing the amount of rainwater going into the combined sewer will help to reduce the frequency and duration of storm discharges going into the water. It is estimated that this investment will create a 77% reduction in the number of storm overflow incidents flowing into Applehaigh Beck and improve the quality of the watercourse.   

In September, project partners, Morrison Water Services (MWS) will also start phase two at nearby Fitzwilliam Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) to improve surface water separation and reduce storm discharges flowing into Hessle Beck.   

Phase one started on site in February 2024 and included the installation of a new actuated penstock and upgraded manholes. Part two of the project focuses on surface water separation which stops excessive rainwater going into the combined sewer and overwhelming the system.   

Investigations at the overflow found water from the existing surface water culvert were plumbed into the combined sewer network. The culvert will be replaced with the installation of 392m of surface water sewer, diverting the flows away from the combined sewer and into the watercourse, significantly reducing the likelihood of discharges from the wastewater network. On completion, the project is projected to reduce storm discharges flowing into Hessle Beck. 

Omair Khan, project manager, Yorkshire Water, said: “We are committed to improving watercourses and across Yorkshire and are investing £180m by April 2023 to reduce storm overflows and improve water quality. Surface water separation is a key part of our work throughout the region, as removing the flow of rainfall into the network will help to limit discharges from overflows that occur to protect properties from flooding. 

“These latest projects form part of a wider investment in the surrounding Wakefield area, which includes £4.9m improvement works taking place at Bridge Road, Horbury and £4.9m investment to reduce storm overflows from Park Hill Farm CSO.”