United Utilities has started work on an £8.9 million project to improve the water quality of the River Douglas around Adlington in Lancashire, WaterBriefing reported.

The North West water company will be constructing a 2,500 cubic metre detention tank to help reduce the number of the spills from storm overflows into the Douglas during periods of heavy rainfall.

The new storm tank will help improve the River Douglas and play its part in boosting the ecological status of that stretch of the river to ‘good.’

Once in operation in May 2023, a new trade effluent pipeline will also connect from Adlington to the tank to help manage flows at the local treatment works.

Tamsyn Lee, Project Manager from United Utilities, said:

“It’s fantastic to see all the work on site progressing. This is a really important project that will make significant improvements to the water quality on this stretch of the River Douglas and is part of our wider commitment to improve 184km of waterways across the region over the next two years.”

The project is being delivered in conjunction with United Utilities’ construction delivery partner C2V.

As part of its Better Rivers; Better North West campaign, United Utilities has committed to reduce the number of spills from storm overflows by at least a third, between 2020 and 2025.

This will be supported through a £230 million investment programme at sites across the region, leading to 184km of improved waterways.