Wessex Water has started work on a £26m scheme to improve water quality at Weston-super-Mare.

The company is carrying out improvements at its Weston-super-Mare sewage treatment works to improve bathing water quality in the area to help ensure new standards are met.

Currently sewage is treated so it is clean enough to be returned to the sea safely and ensures the current mandatory bathing standard is met. However, under the revised Bathing Water Directive which will come into force in 2015, bathing waters at Weston Main and Uphill Slipway would be classified as ‘poor’, based on historic sampling results.

Dr Julian Dennis, director of compliance and sustainability at Wessex Water, said:

“The improvement work will be completed two years in advance of the new bathing water directive.

“Our aim is to ensure we have done everything possible to improve water quality to ensure local beaches remain designated bathing waters and continue to attract tourists to the North Somerset area which the local economy so heavily relies on.”

The work at Weston-super-Mare sewage treatment works involves increasing the secondary treatment and ultraviolet disinfection capacity which will improve the quality of discharges from the works. Stormwater capacity will also be increased to store more storm weather flows and reduce the impact on rivers and sea during periods of intense rainfall. This will reduce the likelihood of Black Rock sewage pumping station combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharging during storm conditions.

Machinery and materials has already started arriving at Weston-super-Mare sewage treatment works with construction work getting underway in May 2011.

Project manager for the scheme Dave Jones said initial work would involve piling to provide a sound foundation for the new secondary treatment structures and storm settlement tanks to sit on. He added that the tanks would be painted to blend in with the local environment.

He said:

“Due to Habitat Regulations that protect birds, the piling work can not be carried out over the winter months. We have therefore carefully timed the work to avoid popular dates when tourists stay at sites that are close to our sewage treatment works.

“The piling work will be completed before the start of the main summer tourist season and avoid the Easter holidays, weekends and bank holidays including that of the Royal wedding which may prove a popular date for tourists to visit.”

Over the last 20 years the number of bathing waters in England and Wales attaining the highest quality status has almost tripled.

Last year in England and Wales bathing water standards were better than France and Italy and on a par with Spain and Portugal. Dr Dennis added that in the coastal areas of the region, more than £250 million had already been spent on improving infrastructure and sewage treatment.

He said:

“This has allowed us to treat wastewater to a high standard so it can be safely returned it to the sea or rivers.

“Furthermore, we have been working with the Environment Agency on DNA-based investigations to understand the different sources of contamination that could affect water quality - be it from humans, birds, cows, dogs, or sheep.

“Some of our beaches are the best in Europe and we are committed to doing our bit to keep them there.”

Work on the £26 million scheme is expected to be completed by December 2013.