Southern Water is getting ready to start a £4 million scheme to improve water quality in Bognor Regis - the West Sussex coastal town is the latest location to benefit from ongoing work to cut storm overflows and improve the quality of bathing waters across the region.
Engineers have begun scoping out Bognor Regis’ wastewater network to identify what nature-based and engineering solutions the water company can roll out in the area to slow the flow of surface water into its sewers.
Reducing pressure on pipes will make the use of storm overflows into the environment, when the amount of water in the system threatens to flood homes and businesses during heavy rainfall, much less likely.
The £4 million fund for Bognor Regis will first focus on investigations and solutions aimed at cutting spills from Bognor Main storm overflow pipe, located close to Aldingbourne Rife – a wildlife corridor linking the South Downs National Park with the Chichester Coastal Plain.
The investigations will include using state-of-the-art technology and robots to inspect the state of the sewers system in the area, and carrying a number of surveys to see where improvements can be made.
These will help inform what kind of interventions the engineers will use to reduce storm overflows. For example, one solution might be installing sustainable drainage systems like water butts, swales, and raingardens: another could involve expanding sewers or building further storm storage capacity.
The Bognor Regis scheme is part of Southern Water’s wider £1.5 billion Clean Rivers and Seas Plan that aims to cut storm overflows across its region.
The company is also spending £20 million at the nearby Pagham Wastewater Treatment Works to improve how wastewater is treated, with work due to be completed this summer.
Engineering Lead for Southern Water’s Clean Rivers and Seas Task Force, Keith Herbert, said:
“We know how important it is that we play our part in protecting rivers and seas across our region and we’re excited to start working in Bognor.
“Our engineers are busy surveying and inspecting our network ahead of putting in place measures this year which will make a real difference to creating healthier rivers and seas in this area.”
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