Thames Water has completed a £17.4 million upgrade at its Buntingford Sewage Treatment Works (STW) which has increased the site's capacity by 20%.
The upgrade, which will help reduce the risk of storm overflows following heavy rainfall, is part of Thames Water’s plan to upgrade 250 of its wastewater sites to help manage demand due to population growth and climate change.
Having started work in 2022, the water company completed the upgrade in November 2024 which has expanded its flow capacity by 20%. This will greatly reduce the risk of storm overflows during spells of heavy rainfall and longer periods of groundwater retention, which can cause the sewer systems to be overwhelmed.
As part of the upgrade, the site has also implemented a phosphorus reduction scheme, which will improve the quality of effluent released into the river following treatment.
Rob Hales, Senior Project Manager at Thames Water said:
“As custodians of important infrastructure, we need to ensure our sites are resilient to the pressures of climate change and population growth so we can continue to provide reliable services to our customers. Our upgrades at Buntingford sewage treatment works, come as part of our commitment to help protect customers and the health of the rivers and waterways.
“We believe all discharges are unacceptable and we are committed to seeing healthy and thriving waterways, however we can’t do it alone. While we play an important role in this, we aren’t the sole custodians of river health. We need everyone working together to help our waterways thrive.”
The upgrade of Buntingford STW is part of Thames Water’s plans to improve 250 of its wastewater sites to help manage the effects of population growth and climate change. These include nearby sites at Bishop Stortford, Little Hallingbury and Harpenden. You can see a list of upgrades here.
Attendees at next month’s National Civils Show, Floodex, National Drainage Show and Waterways Management on 26th and 27th November are set to benefit from an expert speaker line-up and the opportunity to visit a wide range of exhibitors all co-located in one place at Excel, London, one of the UK’s leading international exhibition and convention centres.
Tackling leakage is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways for utilities to bolster water security, writes Ben Crabtree, Product Line Director, Ovarro, revealing how the potential of smart technologies is being demonstrated around the world.
UK-headquartered South Staffordshire Plc, the integrated services group operating within the UK critical infrastructure and essential services markets, has received a prestigious Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Award for global health and safety excellence.
Balfour Beatty, the UK’s largest construction and infrastructure provider, has delivered exceptional environmental results on the Thames Estuary Asset Management 2100 (TEAM2100) framework, one of the nation’s most ambitious flood defence initiatives.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.
Find out more about the remarkable career opportunities on offer at WSP - scroll down to watch the inspirational video. 
What is to be done about the UK’s failing utilities? Listen to Professor Dieter Helm explore the options to tackle the UK’s failing utilities – Thames Water, the Royal Mail and Network Rail in particular.