Northumbrian Water is investing £6.4m in upgrades to its sewage treatment works in Lanchester, County Durham.
The site treats wastewater from homes and businesses in the area, before returning clean final water back to the environment.
Work is due to start in August on the upgrades, which will involve the installation of new equipment, including treatment plant and storage tanks.
The investment will help to protect water quality in the Smallhope Burn and watercourses downstream, as well as ensuring the long-term resilience of the site.
Work, which will be contained within the site and carried out by Northumbrian Water’s partner Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB), is expected to be complete in the Spring of 2025.
Northumbrian Water’s project manager Charles Harman said:
“The environment is at the heart of everything we do and this project represents a significant investment in water quality, locally and downstream from Lanchester.”