Southern Water has installed a new £200,000 storm pump to improve resilience at its East Worthing Wastewater Treatment Works.

Capable of pumping 2,500 litres of water every second – the 10-ton pump was delivered to the site and lowered down into the wet well, where wastewater flows enter the treatment works, last Thursday.

The pump will be used as a last resort during storm conditions to protect homes and businesses from wastewater flooding. During heavy rain, flows entering the site can quickly double to more than 2,000 litres a second, threatening to overwhelm the site and cause wastewater to back up in the sewers.

The pump will help reduce the risk of this happening by diverting the stormwater - wastewater heavily diluted by rainwater- to sea, once it has passed through screens to remove solids, as per the site’s permit with the Environment Agency.

The installation, by contractor BTU, is part of Southern Water’s ongoing £12 million investment programme at the site to improve its resilience – especially in wet weather.