Councillors from Kirklees Council and Denby Dale Parish Council recently visited Yorkshire Water’s Clayton West wastewater treatment site in West Yorkshire to see progress on a £14 million nature-based wetland solution.
Photo: Clayton West wetland
The project, being carried out by Mott McDonald Bentley, has seen the installation of a 4.3-hectare wetland containing 13 interconnected ponds. It will provide an additional low-carbon and natural layer of treatment to wastewater before returning it to the river Dearne, significantly improving the quality of the water in the river, as well as improving biodiversity and benefiting local wildlife.
Over 300,000 plants will treat the wastewater as it travels through the wetland, taking in and breaking down pollutants. The wastewater being treated will not include solid waste.
Once complete, the wetland will improve the river quality of 4.1km of the river Dearne downstream of the works.
The project should be complete in late summer 2025.
Cllr Tim Bamford (Conservative) and Cllr Hannah McKerchar (Labour) visited the wetland alongside six councillors from Denby Dale Parish Council, and representatives from local organisations including Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Don Catchment Rivers Trust and Friends of the River Dearne.
Mike Jones, South Projects Manager at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said:
“Schemes like this are really inspirational for other parts of the water sector – you can improve the water quality whilst also providing something for nature. This is an impressive start, and we look forward to seeing how the project develops, continuing to play a part in collaboration; further improving the outcomes for nature and water management in a changing climate.”
A second scheme is also underway at Clayton West treatment works – a £4.9 million project which will reduce the amount of phosphorous in the wastewater returned to the river post-treatment.
When complete, the project will improve the water quality of over 3.7km of the watercourse downstream of the treatment works. This contributes to a total of approximately 56 km of river improved across the River Dearne’s wider catchment through other phosphorous reduction schemes.
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