Severn Trent’s kicked off an accelerated £450m region-wide programme of investment, where once complete, spills from storm overflows will reduce by 20% a year - with work in Staffordshire well underway.

The company has committed to going further and faster, to reduce the use of overflows and has embarked on a programme of work to 900 locations to be completed across the Midlands this year alone.

A series of unique projects in Staffordshire have been taking place, including improvements to Trescott Wastewater Works – installing new storage solutions to hold 200,000 additional litres of water. As three tanks are being created, means a total capacity of 600,000 litres.

Overflows are designed to protect homes and businesses from flooding during heavy rainfall, however Severn Trent know they need to do more to reduce the effect on local rivers.

This accelerated work will carry on long term, and more specifically for Staffordshire over the next 25 years we’re investing £640m Staffordshire reduce the improve 339 overflows by 2050 – allowing benefits to be seen quicker.

Mark Darby, Severn Trent Spills Programme Lead from Severn Trent said: “Our customers want us to go as quickly as possible to reduce spills from overflows, and we’re doing just that. We’re working round the clock, finding new and agile ways of delivering complex schemes quicker, and this project in Atherstone is a great example of that.

“By installing the new storage solutions, it means an additional 200,000 litres of water can held at the site – meaning the network doesn’t become overwhelmed, reducing spills from overflows  – which is exactly what we’re setting out to do.

“We’re also looking to install more storage solutions, make more improvements to our network, and deliver more schemes across Staffordshire at pace.”

900 locations will benefit this year alone across the Midlands, with plenty set to come for Staffordshire.

Mark said: “We know just how important rivers are to everyone and they’re just as important to us. This series of work for Staffordshire is a really exciting step and compliments the existing things we’re doing in the area already as part of our bathing rivers projects,  and storm overflow action plan. Our customers can trust that we’re delivering what they’re after, and we’re doing it faster than anyone else. We’re looking forward to sharing more details of the work in Warwickshire soon.”

These accelerated projects build on Severn Trent’s delivery of significant investment in Staffordshire that includes:
  

• 17 million project to improve the wastewater network in Staffordshire. New storage tanks, which will have the capacity to hold more sewage from the Etruria area, are being installed as well as upgrading the existing combined sewer overflows to screen wastewater to a higher standard to improve river health.
• £3.7 million investment to upgrade an existing pumping station with new storage, meaning it will have the capacity to hold more sewage from the Silverdale area. A new combined sewer overflow will also screen wastewater to a higher standard to improve river health. 
• £1.8 million project to install new storage tanks which will have the capacity to hold more sewage from the Great Chell area, as well as upgrading an existing combined sewer overflow to screen wastewater to a higher standard to improve river health.
• £13.1m investment to upgrade Tamworth Sewage Treatment Works to achieve a higher level of treatment and improve the health of the River Tame.

Severn Trent has been recognised as an industry leader when it comes to environmental performance, achieving the Environment Agency’s highest four-star rating for four years running. It is confident of securing this for an unprecedented fifth year later in July 2024.