South West Water has completed construction of a new underground storm storage tank in Sidmouth as part of a wider investment programme designed to improve the town’s wastewater network and reduce the use of storm overflows.
The new 100,000-litre tank has been installed beneath The Ham and will capture excess flows during periods of heavy rainfall, storing them until there is sufficient capacity at the treatment works for full treatment.
The investment is intended to help reduce storm overflow spills from The Ham while protecting water quality at Sidmouth Town Beach, which has consistently achieved an “Excellent” bathing water rating from the Environment Agency.
First phase of wider investment programme completed
The project forms part of South West Water’s wider programme of wastewater infrastructure investment, with similar schemes already being delivered across the region.
Representatives from South West Water met with Sidmouth Town Council on 1 July to hand the area back ahead of the town’s annual Folk Festival and Regatta.
Further reinstatement works at The Ham are scheduled for September, alongside additional surface water separation works designed to reduce the amount of rainwater entering the sewer network.
Investment aims to improve network resilience
Chris Bradford, Project Manager for Sidmouth, said:
“This investment is really important for the Sidmouth area and I’m really pleased we’ve been able to complete the first phase of these vital improvements.
“This new storm storage tank will help to reduce the use of storm overflows in the area, particularly during heavy rainfall, and will play a key role in protecting the quality of local bathing waters which we know are very important to residents.
“We have more works planned for the future which will enable us to make further improvements to the town’s sewage network and help us to reduce spills.”
Ben Norris, Framework Director for contractor Network Plus Envolve JV, added:
“This project has been a success as it’s delivered a real enhancement to the water management in the Sidmouth area.
“We received a Gold Site Pride award from South West Water for our work on this scheme and this is a testament to the hard work of the site team and supply chain who worked collaboratively to deliver a complex project ahead of programme.”
Find out more about South West Water’s engineering projects.
Read more H2O Global News coverage of wastewater and water management.
