Yorkshire Water makes progress on county-wide £27.8m storm overflow scheme

Yorkshire Water is three quarters of the way through a £27.8m programme that will reduce the frequency and volume of storm overflow discharges at 41 of its wastewater treatment sites across the region. 

When complete, the investment will see over 13,000m3 of storm water storage capacity, which will hold 13 million litres of wastewater, added to the network by April 2025. 

Storm water storage tanks are used in the event of increased flows in combined sewer networks to hold surface water runoff from homes and roads in addition to wastewater, during periods of heavy or prolonged rainfall. Storm tanks operate to slow the flow of wastewater and reduce the need for overflows into watercourses for as long as possible. Discharges only occur once storm tanks have become full to protect homes and businesses from flooding. 

Flows retained by the storm tanks are returned to the treatment works for full treatment once the rainfall event has passed. 

By increasing the capacity in these tanks, the use of storm overflows and their impact on the environment will be further reduced.  

Of the 41 projects, there are 24 in north Yorkshire, seven in west Yorkshire, four in East Riding and four in south Yorkshire. Two of the projects are in Derbyshire.  

The latest project to be completed was the £350k installation of a storm water storage tank at Shipton wastewater treatment works in north Yorkshire. 

David Hobman, project manager at Yorkshire Water, said; “Our project partners – Peter Duffys, Seymour, Stonbury, and Barhale – are helping us to make brilliant progress with our storm tank storage scheme. We're 75 per cent of the way through, with watercourses across the county seeing the benefit already.” 

Some of the most significant projects within the scheme are a £3m investment at Esholt in Bradford to increase capacity by 6000 m3, a £1.85m investment at Rawcliffe York to increase capacity by 700 m3 and a £2.5m investment at Lemonroyd in Leeds to increase capacity by 750 m3 and improve flow monitoring.  

David added: “This programme is focused on increasing storm water storage and is in addition to a further £180m investment to reduce storm overflow use and improve water quality in our region’s rivers by April 2025.” 

Yorkshire Water is planning its largest ever environmental investment between 2025 and 2030, which includes more than £1bn to further reduce the impact of overflows on the region’s watercourses.