Yorkshire Water will start work will this month at two sites across west Leeds and Bradford as part of a project to improve the water quality in Pudsey Beck by reducing storm overflow discharges.
Image: Visualisation of Hough Side plans
An additional 3,000m3 of storm water storage will be installed at Dick Lane by contract partner Peter Duffy Ltd, and Tilbury Douglas will be constructing an additional 3,500m3 of storm water storage at Pudsey Smalewell.
The extra storage will slow the flow of wastewater to storm overflows, reducing the number and duration of discharges during prolonged or heavy rainfall, before returning the stored water to the sewer network for treatment.
The works are expected to reduce storm overflow discharges by 65% at Dick Lane, and by 77% at Pudsey Smalewell - Pudsey is a hotspot for blockages in Yorkshire.
Richard Stuart, Director of Capital Delivery at Yorkshire Water, said:
“We know how important it is to our customers and for the environment that we tackle the number of discharges from storm overflows across our region. We’re committed to reducing their operation, and these two projects will significantly improve the water quality in Pudsey Beck by doing just that.”
The works are expected to be completed in autumn 2025.
Alongside these projects, Yorkshire Water will be submitting a planning application for the construction of a 4.2-hectare integrated wetland at its Hough Side site, following six weeks of ground investigation work.
In an integrated wetland the plants in a series of cells treat wastewater and storm water by naturally breaking down and adsorbing bacteria, pollutants, and nutrients. The storm overflow water will not include solid waste.
The Hough Side wetland will treat approximately 190,000m3 of wastewater, helping to reduce pressure on the combined sewer network during storm events. Additional plans for the Farnley Ring Road site are in development.
Richard Stuart added:
“We have been developing plans for the various schemes around Pudsey Beck for a while, focusing on green solutions where possible, and we’re pleased to be commencing construction on two sites and making real progress on others.”
With the UK government demanding a 50% reduction in storm overflow spills by 2029, the era of reactive management is over. Speaking in the House of Commons on 21 July 2025, then environment secretary Steve Reed said, “This Government will cut water companies’ sewage pollution in half by the end of the decade.”
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