Work has begun in Ellerton to complete a £1.3 million investment by Yorkshire Water to reduce discharges into the river Derwent from storm overflows during periods of heavy or prolonged rainfall.

Peter Duffy LTD, a Yorkshire Water contract partner, will be laying a new surface water sewer the length of the village to divert water flows away from the public combined sewer, reducing pressure on the storm overflow at Ellerton. Yorkshire Water and its contractors will also be working to reline 350 metres of the combined sewer in the village to prevent groundwater infiltration into the network.

The scheme is expected to significantly reduce discharges from the overflow on Back Lane, Ellerton, improving water quality in the river Derwent.

Martin Ineson, project manager at Yorkshire Water, said:

“We’re committed to playing our part in improving water quality across Yorkshire, and our work in Ellerton is just one of a number of storm overflow investments – totaling £180m before April 2025. Reducing the amount of surface water entering the watercourse during heavy or prolonged rainfall will reduce the number of discharges into the watercourse.