The latest evidence of just how the Mersey continues its major revival has very recently been highlighted with reports of a giant black and white humpback whale sighting in Liverpool Bay.

Further investment by United Utilities in its sewer network means the clean-up is set to continue. Engineers from the company have embarked on some large scale engineering work, including building one of the largest pre-cast concrete detention tanks ever seen in England.

United Utilities project manager Eric Hepworth said:

“The detention tank being built just off the Knowsley Expressway, in Runcorn will vastly increase the capacity of the local sewer for safely retaining storm water, which might otherwise ended up flowing into the river Mersey via Ditton Brook.”

“Over the past few years we’ve created extra storm storage in our sewer network across the Merseyside area. This will help improve the River Mersey by reducing the number of times the local sewer system overflows in heavy rains.”

The rectangular detention tank will measure 140m by 43m and will be capable of storing the equivalent of 36 million pints of water.

Since 1985 when the Mersey Estuary had become the most polluted estuary in the UK, the river has slowly been restored to its former glory.

Now home to a wide range of fish, including salmon, trout, lamprey and dace,  the increasing numbers of fish have also brought other animals to the Estuary including grey seals. The number of live sightings has gone up greatly in recent years, especially in the summer months.

The current Liverpool wastewater treatment works played a significant part in helping to clean it up. Before the works was built in the late 80’s at Sandon Dock, crude sewage was discharged directly into the river. United Utilities is now nearing the completion of its £200m extension to the city’s wastewater treatment works.