Penketh and Great Sankey sewer improvements

Introduction

Some of the sewers and drains in Penketh and Great Sankey date back to the Victorian times. Since then, the population has grown as the community around Warrington expanded. More houses and businesses mean more wastewater going into our pipes and less permeable surfaces for rainwater to drain into. Our climate is also changing leading to longer, heavier periods of rain. These two factors result in the existing sewers and drains not being able to cope at certain times.

Sewer flooding

When there are heavy rainstorms, too much water goes through the pipes and the sewers become overloaded. As this happens, wastewater escapes back up through the drains spilling into roads, car parks and homes. We call this sewer flooding. View our video to find out more about sewer flooding and what we are doing to help.

This has been happening in Penketh and Great Sankey over recent years with certain hot spots subject to sewer flooding on a re-occurring basis.   If we do nothing, the situation is likely to get worse over time with more areas being affected more often.

What United Utilities can do to help prevent sewer flooding

There is a solution. This is not a problem unique to Penketh and Great Sankey and our engineering experts have solved this in other parts of the North West. We need to increase the size of some of the sewer pipes and build some tanks underground which can store the storm water at times of peak and then pump it back into the system when the water has subsided.

We are designing schemes now identifying exactly where in the network it is most effective to increase the size of the sewer pipes and site the storage tanks. The first scheme we are seeking planning permission for is known as the Pyecroft Road Scheme.

Phase 1 - Pyecroft Road Scheme

Phase 2 - Mill Avenue Area

Phase 3 - Station Road Area