A major milestone has been hit on a project to improve water quality in the River Irwell. Water company United Utilities says work has been ‘continuing at pace’ on a £110m scheme at Bolton Wastewater Treatment works. Now, a tunnelling machine has been brought to the site to complete a 150-metre (492ft) dig.
United Utilities says the tunnel will form part of a pipework system, replacing the old outfall – where a sewer empties directly into public waterways. Local school children from the nearby St Saviour CE Primary School were on hand to see the tunnelling machine, named Harriet, as she arrived on site. Pupils from the school have their designs displayed on hoarding around the site after a competition to design a poster of what not to flush down the loo.
Sign up to our newsletters to get the latest stories sent straight to your inbox. It’s part of several changes to the site, which is located off Red Rock Lane. To meet growing demand from the Bolton area, water company United Utilities says it will be increasing the capacity of the works to allow it to treat 20 per cent more wastewater.
Work began in February this year. The increase in treatment capacity will also reduce the number of times the storm overflow operates in periods of heavy rain. There will be major enhancements to the treatment processes at the works to use more innovative technology to treat the wastewater to a higher standard.
The storm overflow outfall pipe will also be relocated as part of the proj.