Yorkshire Water to begin work on Pudsey Beck water quality improvement

Work will begin this month at two sites across west Leeds and Bradford as part of Yorkshire Water’s project to improve the water quality in Pudsey Beck by reducing storm overflow discharges.  

An additional 3,000m3 of storm water storage will be installed at Dick Lane by contract partner Peter Duffy Limited, and Tilbury Douglas will be constructing an additional 3,500m3 of storm water storage at Pudsey Smalewell.  

The extra storage will slow the flow of wastewater to storm overflows, reducing the number and duration of discharges during prolonged or heavy rainfall, before returning the stored water to the sewer network for treatment. 

The works are expected to reduce storm overflow discharges by 65% at Dick Lane, and by 77% at Pudsey Smalewell. 

Richard Stuart, director of capital delivery at Yorkshire Water, said: “We know how important it is to our customers and for the environment that we tackle the number of discharges from storm overflows across our region. We’re committed to reducing their operation, and these two projects will significantly improve the water quality in Pudsey Beck by doing just that.” 

Whilst the projects are ongoing, there will be traffic management in place at Dick Lane to ensure access for construction teams. The public right of way down Tyersal Lane by Pudsey Smalewell will remain open. Works are expected to be completed in autumn 2025. 

Alongside these projects, Yorkshire Water will be submitting a planning application for the construction of a 4.2-hectare integrated wetland at its close by Hough Side site, following six weeks of ground investigation work.  

In an integrated wetland the plants in a series of cells treat wastewater and storm water by naturally breaking down and adsorbing bacteria, pollutants, and nutrients. The storm overflow water will not include solid waste. 

The Hough Side wetland will treat approximately 190,000m3 of wastewater, helping to reduce pressure on the combined sewer network during storm events. Wetlands can also provide a habitat for local wildlife. Additional plans for the Farnley Ring Road site are in development. 

Richard added: “We have been developing plans for the various schemes around Pudsey Beck for a while, focusing on green solutions where possible, and we’re pleased to be commencing construction on two sites and making real progress on others. 

“As we move forward, we’ll keep the local communities informed, and work with the relevant authorities to keep any disruption to a minimum.” 

Yorkshire Water’s education team will also be visiting schools in the area to deliver LEGO Education sessions. These will inform the children of the work going on nearby, as well as providing an opportunity to build and program a LEGO robot to travel around a map and remove blockages from the sewer system. The sessions are designed to improve STEM skills, as well as educating the children on what should and shouldn't be flushed down the toilet or poured down the drain to try to prevent blockages in the area. 

Pudsey is a hotspot for blockages in Yorkshire and Yorkshire Water’s education team has delivered these sessions to Greenside Primary School and will soon be visiting Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy.