23 July 2009
A £3 million investment by United Utilities is set to make Coniston Water an even higher quality environment for the animal and plant life that live in it.
Cumbria's water company is planning to install a new treatment process at its Coniston Wastewater Treatment Works which will help remove damaging phosphates.
Phosphates, commonly found in many daily cleaning products, such as detergents, can lead to a process called eutrophication, which causes algae to build up and upset the delicate balance of water life, by reducing the amount of oxygen in the lake.
Project manager Steve Dooley said: "Our Coniston wastewater works has always done a good job, but standards laid down by the EU Habitats Directive mean that certain substances like phosphates have to be kept at even lower levels. Our new treatment process is called ferric dosing, which uses iron to attach to the phosphorus in the water and make it easier to settle out and remove."
Around 1,000 people in the area rely on the works to treat their waste water and return it, clean, to Coniston Water, via Church Beck.
United Utilities' project at Consiton will fit within the boundary of the existing works site, which is already screened to keep its visual impact to a minimum. Subject to planning permission, engineers would like to start work in September and complete the scheme by late spring 2010.
"Our tests show that phosphate levels peak during the tourist season, when more people are using the wastewater system. We would like to get our new process in place by the next tourist season," said Steve.
The scheme is the latest in a series of major projects proposed by United Utilities to help improve the quality of water in some of Cumbria's lakes. They include a £16 million storm water tank at Bowness on Windermere, which will help improve the quality of bathing water in Windermere and a £6 million project at Hawkshead Wastewater Treatment Works to help remove phosphates from Esthwaite Water.
Said Steve: "These are major schemes which will be very important for some of Cumbria's best-loved lakes, but they are only part of the answer. Other organisations like the Environment Agency are also working hard on projects to help make these lakes as healthy as possible for the wildlife that lives in them and the people who love to visit them."
All the plans are part of United Utilities' five year £2.9 billion programme to improve water quality and the environment by 2010.
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