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 Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire have already been completed, including £169,000 worth of improvement to Fenny Compton Wastewater Treatment works.

This saw reed bed improvements and new pipe work laid to reduce the use of overflows, benefitting rivers with many more due to start over the next 12 months.

The work will see a series of projects to reduce spills from overflows, benefitting Warwickshire’s waterways.

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 Warwickshire over the next 25 years we’re investing £300m Warwickshire reduce the improve 141 overflows by 2050 – allowing benefits to be seen quicker.

Luke Curtis, 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 Fenny Compton is a great example of that.

“The clever technology the reedbed uses helps filter wastewater and the new pipe work laid reduces the need for overflows, meaning they’re not used as much – 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 Warwickshire at pace.”

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

Luke said: “We know just how important rivers are to everyone and they’re just as important to us. This series of work for Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire that includes:
  

·         As part of its Green Recovery, Severn Trent is investing £78m to improve the water quality along more than 50km of river in Shropshire and Warwickshire and help move two stretches (on the rivers Teme and Leam) towards bathing quality by 2025.

·         Construction work starting this summer to increase the capacity of Longbridge sewage treatment works in a £45 million project. By increasing the capacity of the works, the quality of effluent will be improved, and the number of spills will be reduced. 

·         A £4.5m investment to upgrade Tysoe Sewage Treatment Works to achieve a higher level of treatment and improve the health a tributary of Wyngates Brook.

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.