United Utilities' Barrow project reaches major milestone as piling work begins

United Utilities has reached a significant milestone in its project at Flass Lane in Barrow, with drilling work now underway for the foundations of a major new underground storage tank that will help improve water quality in the Walney Channel.

The company has now started drilling the piles that will support the 5,500m³ storage tank, marking the transition into a key phase of construction. The tank, which is larger than two Olympic-sized swimming pools, will reduce the number of times nine storm overflows in the Barrow area operate by providing additional capacity to store stormwater before it is treated and returned to the environment.

United Utilities recently welcomed Westmorland and Furness officers and councillors to the site to see first-hand the progress that has been made since work began at the end of last year. Representatives were given an update on the project and shown the scale of the construction work now taking place.

Cllr Tony Callister Chair of Furness Locality Board said: "It's great to see the investment that United Utilities is making here and right across Barrow to improve water quality and deliver lasting benefits for our communities. This work reflects what local people want to see and it was fantastic to visit the site, see progress first hand and meet the team delivering these important improvements."

As well as the underground tank, the scheme includes new pipework to connect the existing sewer network to the new tank, and online storage between Flass Lane and Flass Meadows.  Construction is expected to take around two years, with the site to be landscaped once work is complete.

The project is one of a number of schemes being delivered across Barrow to improve water quality in the Walney Channel, Morecambe Bay and the Irish Sea. United Utilities will invest in improvements at 21 storm overflows across nine locations in Barrow before 2030.

Fiona Edmondson, Regional Delivery Manager at United Utilities, said:  “This is a significant milestone for the project and it's exciting to see construction progressing to the next stage.

“We were pleased to welcome local councillors to the site so they could see the progress being made and hear more about the wider programme of investment taking place across Barrow.”

United Utilities is delivering the largest investment programme in water and wastewater infrastructure in its history. The company will invest more than £13 billion before 2030 to protect and enhance rivers, lakes and bathing waters across the North West, while continuing to safeguard drinking water supplies for millions of customers.