£10m project to improve water quality in Chorley’s River Yarrow achieves milestone

A £10m project to water quality in the River Yarrow has achieved a major milestone.

The two-year project at Southlands School in Chorley involves the creation of two new underground storage tanks in a grassland area to the south of the school.

Now, less than a year since the start of the project, both tanks have been constructed and lined and are now ready for pipework and pumping equipment to be installed.

When operational in 2027, the tanks will have a combined capacity of more than 3.6 million litres of water – almost the equivalent of one and a half Olympic sized swimming pools.

The additional storage will reduce storm overflows into the River Yarrow which flows into the River Ribble.

During construction, cranes undertaking the excavation have completed more than 560 hours of lifting operations to remove 17,000 tonnes of material.

All excavated material has been transported to the Whitehead Restoration Project near Wigan which supports major development activity across the North West by re-purposing surplus soils that would otherwise be sent to landfill.

Simon Holding, Head of Wastewater Treatment Services for United Utilities in Lancashire explained: “It’s great to see this project taking a major step forward. During the next five years we are investing more than £30m to deliver five projects in Chorley, each of which will play an important role in improving water quality in the River Yarrow.

“These tanks act as huge holding areas for the extra rainwater that enters the sewer network during times of heavy rainfall. Holding it back means it isn’t all hitting the wastewater treatment works at the same time and the system is less likely to be overwhelmed.”

Across Lancashire, United Utilities continues to deliver a range of projects from infrastructure improvements to sustainable drainage, upgrades at its wastewater treatment works and riverside tree planting schemes, which are enhancing water quality in the River Ribble and its tributaries.

Across the North West the company is spending more than £13bn to protect and enhance over 500km of rivers, lakes and bathing waters whilst safeguarding drinking water supplies for millions of customers.