Yorkshire Water Announces Investment to Curb Storm Discharges

Yorkshire Water has declared an investment of £1 million aimed at decreasing storm discharges within East Yorkshire. Typically, during heavy rainfall, surface water entering the sewer system leads to overflows being released into waterways. This practice is intended to avert flooding in residential zones or prevent sewage from backing up. However, advocacy groups contend that this practice contributes to elevated pollution levels in rivers and coastal regions. This initiative, located in New Ellerby, forms a component of a broader £180 million program designed to diminish the frequency of storm “overflows” throughout Yorkshire by April 2025, according to the water company. The work entails constructing 377 feet (115 meters) of new surface water sewer infrastructure. Its purpose is to prevent rainwater from adjacent properties and roadways from entering the combined sewer network, and it will include four new manhole chambers. Furthermore, the undertaking encompasses relining 413 feet (126 meters) of sewer to lessen groundwater infiltration into the combined sewer system, as stated by Yorkshire Water. Project manager Lumi Ajayi commented: “On completion, it will result in a 45% reduction of discharges from the New Ellerby storm overflow discharging into the nearby Kelwell drain and help improve water quality.” This current project closely follows a recently finalized £380,000 investment aimed at expanding storage capacity at the wastewater treatment facility in the adjacent village of Old Ellerby. The additional storage capacity is anticipated to lead to a 70% reduction in storm overflows entering a tributary of Kelwell Drain. The company states that the initiative is projected to enhance water quality in the locality “by reducing the frequency and intensity of storm overflows going into local watercourses”. During August, Yorkshire Water received a £47 million fine subsequent to an Ofwat report concerning sewage spills. The water company indicated it is “planning its largest ever environmental investment between 2025 and 2030, which includes more than £1bn earmarked to reduce storm overflows across Yorkshire, subject to Ofwat approval”.