Yorkshire Water is planning to invest £1.3 million to reduce discharges from a storm overflow on Whitby’s Esplanade.

The scheme, which will begin in the New Year, is expected to reduce discharges from the overflow by 25%, further enhancing the water quality off the coast. The investment is part of a two-year, £180m project across Yorkshire to reduce discharges from storm overflows by 2025.

Yorkshire Water and its contract partners Morrison Water Services will separate surface water from wastewater in the area. This will remove highway drainage and key domestic surface water drainage from the combined sewer and connect to a new surface water system, reducing the need for discharges via the storm overflow in times of heavy or prolonged rainfall.

Work will take place on Esplanade, North Terrace, White Point Road, North Promenade and Argyle Road to install new surface water sewers, manholes and reroute highway drainage. While work is taking place some roads will closed temporarily and diversions will be in place. The project is expected to take 12 weeks to complete.

Once completed, the surface water drainage system will be able to take rainwater from highways and surface water from properties directly to the sea, rather than combining with wastewater.

Omair Khan, project manager at Yorkshire Water, said:

“We are committed to playing our part to improve water quality at Yorkshire’s beaches. We recently committed to investing £180m to reduce discharges from storm overflows in the next two years and this is one of the first projects to be delivered as part of that investment.

“The separation of rainwater and wastewater is one way to reduce discharges and once this work is completed, it will dramatically reduce discharges from the overflow on Esplanade.

“Tackling storm overflows is a priority for us and this project is just a small part of our wider plans, which have been submitted to Ofwat for approval, to invest a further £1.4bn to reduce discharges into rivers and seas by 2030.

“We know there is more to do on our coast to improve water quality. We continue to work with North Yorkshire Council and the Environment Agency to identify further opportunities to bring forward investment as quickly as possible.”

Richard Flinton, chief executive at North Yorkshire Council, commented:

“Investment to reduce overflows into the sea off Whitby is very much welcomed. We hope that it will be beneficial to improving water quality through the year, helping Whitby’s tourist credentials and the marine environment.”