£1.3m sustainable drainage project to reduce storm overflows into Muster Brook

Yorkshire Water is planning to invest £1.3m in Temple Normanton to reduce the number of storm overflows into Muster Brook, a tributary of the river Rother. 

The work will see the construction of a 390m new surface water sewer. This will take rainfall from highway drainage and surface water from several properties on Springwood Street.  

Yorkshire Water has also applied for planning permission to install a perforated surface water sewer running through a sustainable drainage system (SuDS) – Hydroplanter, to slow the flow of water to the treatment works. 

The SuDS, if approved, will be designed and built by GreenBlue Urban and Galliford Try/GHD, in grass verges near Temple Normanton Junior Academy. Surface water not used by the planter will flow towards the treatment works via the new sewer, bypassing the treatment works and discharging to the watercourse. This will reduce the flows entering the treatment works during periods of heavy or prolonged rainfall, reducing discharges of wastewater to Muster Brook. 

Yorkshire Water is also planning to work closely with Temple Normanton Junior Academy and SuDSPlanter to implement educational SuDS pods within the school grounds to slow the flow of rainfall even further. The company will install five planters to collect, clean, store and slowly releases rainwater run-off from the school buildings. 

By removing the surface water from the sewer network and slowing flows, it will reduce the frequency and impact of the storm spill events into Muster Brook from the storm overflow at the wastewater treatment works. Work is expected to begin during the school summer holidays to reduce disruption in the area. As well as creating a green benefits solution, Yorkshire Water will also make improvements to the operation of the treatment works on Postmans Lane to improve its performance during rainfall events. The changes to the treatment works have begun and will be completed in March 2025. 

The investment is expected to reduce the number of discharges from the storm overflow by more than 60% from the 2021 figures and is part of Yorkshire Water’s current £180m investment to reduce storm overflows across Yorkshire. 

Hollie Hammond, asset sponsor at Yorkshire Water, said: “We are committed to improving watercourses across Yorkshire and are investing £180m by April 2025 to reduce storm overflow spills to the environment. Where possible we are favouring sustainable, green solutions and working with our customers with large hardstanding areas to reduce the flow into Yorkshire Water’s sewerage systems, that impact the receiving treatment works.  

“We have submitted a planning application for this project that will enable us to build SuDS within the area to slow the flows down to the local watercourses, lowering the risk of flooding and removing any contaminants being released to the environment. 

“Alterations made at our nearby treatment works will also improve its operation and become more self-efficient during rainfall events, which in turn will also contribute to a decrease in spills to the environment, improving water quality in Muster Brook and watercourses further downstream.”