Northumbrian Water is starting work on a number of new schemes this month.

Millions of pounds will be invested to upgrade two sewage treatment works serving hundreds of people in Northumberland. Northumbrian Water is to spend £1.5 million to upgrade Bellingham sewage treatment works and £1 million to improve the works at Otterburn. Work at both sites began this week and will ensure they are more effective and efficient.

Ian Surley, project manager for both improvement schemes, said:

“Bellingham sewage treatment works treats up to 346,000 litres of wastewater every day from up to 1500 people. The scheme, which will be complete by September 2011, will involve upgrading various assets and treatment processes and also installing a new, totally enclosed, sludge holding tank. The new tank will have an odour control system and should reduce the smell from the site.

“Otterburn works is smaller and treats up to 70,000 litres of wastewater every day and serves around 400 people. It will take ten months to upgrade the inlet pumping station and various assets and treatment processes.”

As a result of the work at Bellingham, water quality of the River Tyne will be enhanced and the River Rede will benefit from the investment at the Otterburn works.

Schemes to reduce internal flooding start

On Monday work also began on a £810,000 four-month improvement scheme intended to reduce the risk of internal flooding to five properties. Ian Cunliffe, Northumbrian Water’s project manager for the scheme, said that reducing the risk of flooding is one of Northumbrian Water’s top priorities.

The improvement work will involve constructing 328 metres of new sewer pipe and building an underground storm water storage tank with a capacity of 450,000 litres. In times of heavy rainfall wastewater will be stored in the tank, to be returned to the sewerage network after the storm.

Stanley sewer improvement

Work to reduce the risk of property flooding in County Durham also starts next Monday when Northumbrian Water is to invest £670,000 to upgrade the sewerage network in Stanley.

The four-month improvement scheme, which will reduce the risk of flooding to nine properties, involves installing 164 metres of new sewer pipe and upsizing a further 240 metres of sewer pipe. The water company will also be upsizing a sewer on the A6076 and constructing a combined sewer overflow.