Storm overflow project in Ben Rhydding completes

A Yorkshire Water project in Ben Rhydding to reduce the number of discharges into the river Wharfe from a storm overflow has completed, helping to improve the quality of the watercourse.

The work included the lining of 2.8km of sewer upstream of the treatment site to reduce infiltration of groundwater into the combined sewer network, significantly reducing the flows of stormwater to the treatment works during periods of heavy or prolonged rainfall.

The £900,000 project was completed by Mott MacDonald Bentley and will cut the frequency of storm overflow discharges by approximately 15%.

Omair Khan, project manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “This project is part of a £180m scheme we are delivering by April 2025 to reduce overflows to our rivers and coastline, and of a wider investment programme into the Ilkley area and the river Wharfe.”

Completion of the Ben Rhydding project follows the completion of works at to reduce discharges from a storm overflow on Wyvil Crescent, and of a £15m project to increase capacity in the local network by building an 835-metre sewer.

Work to install a large storm water storage tank, which will hold wastewater in the event of increased flows before releasing it for treatment, is also underway at Ilkley wastewater treatment works. Yorkshire Water is also planning to build a nature-based secondary treatment at Ilkley wastewater treatment works to treat stormwater in a natural way before returning it to the environment.

Omair added: “We’re making good progress with our investment programme at Ilkley. We are underway with plans to build a new wetland, which is designed to provide additional treatment, on top of the usual industry standard wastewater treatment, to further remove bacteria from the treated final effluent. We have also started work upstream on an overflow in Addingham and will be investing further at Bridge Lane storm overflow and Ilkley Middleton sewage pumping station in the coming months, as we continue our important work to improve bathing water quality.”