A water sector first scheme - helping others to reduce their impact on water quality in Windermere

United Utilities is currently delivering the largest ever programme of investment it has made in the Windermere catchment. Between now and 2030, these upgrades are meeting tighter permit standards and improving treatment at nine of the wastewater sites around the lake, alongside significantly reducing spills from storm overflow points by creating extra stormwater storage at key locations. 

Alongside upgrading the wastewater infrastructure, we are also looking at ways to help others reduce the sources of nutrient inputs into Windermere. 

There are several ways that private wastewater systems, currently not connected to mains sewerage, can be improved. One example is through applying for a connection into the public sewer, known as first time sewerage. This is always an option that owners of septic tanks can explore. You can find out more information about that here. 

We would always encourage customers to make applications so we can assess if schemes could be provided, however, this may not always be appropriate, or possible. 

Another way we can help is via a scheme known as ‘Wonderful Windermere’ through which United Utilities can help and is working with other partner organisations in Love Windermere to support customers and communities deliver improvements to their septic tank systems, larger packaged treatment plants and via land management to reduce the volume of phosphorus reaching the lake and ultimately deliver the greatest benefit to the environment.    

How does this work?

By working with a range of partners, United Utilities can look at actions and different solutions which could help improve the performance of septic tanks or help reduce nutrient volume through catchment land.  

This is the first time an initiative like this has been developed in the water sector. United Utilities consulted a wide range of views on this scheme and there is information about that feedback below, together with detail on how the scheme is governed so that any stated phosphorous reduction from these types of actions have been calculated and quantified.