£122 million investment to improve Greater Manchester's rivers

A £122 million programme of environmental investment is underway across the North West to improve 184km of the region’s rivers by 2025.

We will be upgrading treatment plants and sewer systems at the following Greater Manchester locations:

Bolton (£57m): We are planning to build additional storage capacity at Bolton wastewater treatment works (pictured above) and also at seven different locations within the sewer network across the Bolton area. This will reduce the need for storm spills and improve 21km of the River Croal.

Bury (£50m): Bury wastewater treatment works will be upgraded so that it can treat more sewage during heavy rainfall. The nearby sewer network will also be improved with additional storage capacity. Together with the investment at Bolton treatment works this will improve 40km of the River Irwell.

Rochdale (£5m): Castleton wastewater treatment works will be upgraded so that it can treat more sewage during heavy rainfall, improving 5km of Trub Brook.

Worsley (£4m): Worsley wastewater treatment works will be upgraded with more storage capacity so that additional sewage flows can be treated during heavy rainfall. This will improve 7km of Astley Brook.

Mossley (£3.8m): Mossley wastewater treatment works will be upgraded so that it can treat more sewage during heavy rainfall. The nearby sewer network will also be upsized with additional storage capacity, improving 20km of the River Tame.

Wigan (£2.5m): The sewer network will be upgraded with additional storage to reduce storm spills. This will improve 1km of Atherton Brook.

In total, £230m will be spent across the North West to improve the region’s sewage networks and waterways.

Jo Harrison, Director of Environment Planning and Innovation at United Utilities, said: “At United Utilities, our purpose is very clear – we don’t just supply water, we also want to make the North West greener, healthier and stronger. We work very hard to maintain a high level of environmental performance and we’re pleased that for the second year running, we have been awarded the top 4-star rating by the Environment Agency.  

“We know there is always more to do, and playing our part to improve the health of the region’s rivers is very important to our customers. This is already well underway and, by 2025, we will have invested £230m improving 184km of waterways and we will have developed our plans to progressively reduce the impact of storm overflows in the coming years.”