A wastewater treatment works in a County Durham village is set to be upgraded with a £3.5 million investment by Northumbrian Water that will improve water quality in the area.

Plans are being developed for the work at Dipton, which will improve the performance and flexibility of the company's wastewater treatment at the site.

This work will have the added benefit of helping to improve the water quality in Dipton Burn, as well as in the watercourses downstream, by enhancing the already high standards to which the water is treated before being returned to the environment.

Preparatory ground condition investigations will take place in the area, starting today and running for approximately six weeks. A full schedule for the main project has yet to be finalised, but it is expected that it will take around 12 months to complete.

Northumbrian Water is delivering the investment, supported by its partners Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB).

The water company's Project Manager, Charles Harman, said the work will upgrade and futureproof Northumbrian’s wastewater treatment in the Dipton area, and bring environmental benefits for Dipton Burn and the watercourses it feeds into.