£2.4m investment to reduce storm overflows into river Dearne

Yorkshire Water is planning to invest £2.4m in Cudworth to reduce the number of storm water discharges into Small Bridge Dike, a tributary of the river Dearne.

The utility is intending to upgrade the local network through the construction of a replacement sewage pumping station (SPS) that will include additional 330m³ storm water storage capacity. This will operate within the sewer network during periods of heavy or prolonged rainfall, reducing discharges to Small Bridge Dike to improve the watercourse and the river Dearne.

The investment is expected to reduce the number of discharges from the storm overflow by 60% from the 2021 figures.

Final designs are being completed for the new pumping station and Yorkshire Water is working with the local council to secure permissions to carry out the work on recreation ground off Barnsley Road.

Work will be carried out by Mott MacDonald Bentley and is expected to begin in the summer.

The project is part of a £180m investment project across Yorkshire by the end of April 2025 to reduce discharges from storm overflows.

Liam Thomas, project manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “We are committed to improving watercourses across Yorkshire and are investing £180m by April 2025 to reduce storm overflows.

“The new pumping station and storage will mean the network will be able to collect and store surface water entering the system during periods of heavy and prolonged rainfall, significantly reducing the number of discharges from the overflow into Small Bridge Dike.”

Tim Rushton, operations manager at Mott MacDonald Bentley, said: “We are pleased to be playing an important role in supporting Yorkshire Water to improve the quality of watercourses across the region – including this project in Cudworth. We look forward to starting on site later this year once designs have been finalised.”