Anglian Water’s new wetland in Ingoldisthorpe has been formally opened by children from the village primary school. The one-hectare site acts as a natural treatment plant to over a million litres of water, with treated water passing through to be further filtered before returning to the River Ingol. This natural filtering process improves the quality of water being returned to the river, benefitting the whole of the River Ingol, which is a spring-fed chalk stream.

Ingoldisthorpe Primary School children opening new Anglian Water wetland water treatment. (2653958); watch the video

Regan Harris, from Anglian Water, said: “This is a really exciting project to be involved in and it’s fantastic that the site is being formally opened. “Wetland treatment sites like this enable us to treat used water to the same high standards as our conventional sites while vastly reducing our carbon footprint, costs and most importantly, enhancing the local environment and ecosystems.”

The £500,000 project is made up of four shallow interconnected ponds which have been planted with native chalk wetland species such as iris, sedges, rush, marsh marigold and watercress.

Ms Harris added: “Chemicals like phosphates and ammonia come from urbanisation, domestic products like detergents, as well as from human and animal waste.