Yorkshire Water will start work next week on a £1million programme of work in a flood-prone area of Withernsea to reduce the risk of sewer flooding in the town.
From Monday 7 February, contractors Mott MacDonald Bentley will begin work to install a huge underground waste water storage chamber in fields in the town which will be capable of holding more than 1.2million litres. Once complete, the land will be returned to its current state.
The work, which is anticipated to be completed by the middle of May, is part of Yorkshire Water's £120million investment to upgrade its sewer network and treatment facilities to further reduce the risk of sewer flooding, which can occur when sewers become overloaded during times of heavy rainfall.
The new storage tank will collect storm water during wet weather and hold it until such a time that it is safe for it to be released back into the local sewer network.
To further improve the capacity of their system, the company is also installing a new larger sewer.
John Bond of Yorkshire Water's community engagement team, said:
"This work is being carried out to improve our sewerage system in the area and ensure it's better placed to meet the growing demands it comes under, particularly during periods of exceptionally heavy rainfall.
"More intense storms resulting from climate change, increased housing development and the paving over of green spaces are all increasing the amount of surface water entering the sewer network. This, combined with people disposing of inappropriate waste in the sewers, is contributing to an increased risk of sewers flooding homes and properties.
"We believe, like our customers, that sewer flooding is unacceptable. And whilst we can't tackle the problem by ourselves, this latest investment underlines our continuing commitment to playing our part in helping to reduce the risk of sewer flooding to our customers and operating as a responsible company dedicated to providing customers with the best possible service."
Yorkshire Water's £120million investment over the next five years is intended to enhance its sewer network and ensure it is better able to deal with the increasing flows of waste water which run through it. The company will also be installing more pumping stations around the region which help to speed up the sewage treatment process.
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