Yorkshire Water investing £2m in Wentworth sewerage network

Yorkshire Water is investing £2m in its sewerage network in Wentworth village, near Rotherham, to improve the stability and reliability of the drainage network and support the continued health of watercourses in the region.

The project, which is being delivered by Mott MacDonald Bentley, will enable the Wentworth wastewater treatment works to better cope with increased flows of wastewater in the area.

A new sewage pumping station, and 1.2km of pumped rising main, will intercept and divert some wastewater flows away from the Wentworth site and towards the Aldwarke wastewater treatment works – a larger facility with available capacity. This will reduce discharges into Harley Dike during periods of prolonged or heavy rainfall.

Additionally, a damaged section of the sewer close to Wentworth’s wastewater treatment works will be replaced, preventing excess groundwater infiltrating the network.

The plans have also been developed to improve the water returned to the environment after the treatment process. Implementation will allow Yorkshire Water to meet new compliance consents, related to the oxygen levels in waterways needed for aquatic life to thrive, coming into force in 2025.

Helene Moore, project manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “Our work at Wentworth is vital to ensuring that the sewage network will continue to operate effectively in the near and long-term future.”

“As well as improving the network, we are committed to the wellbeing of the environment. By investing in Wentworth, we’ll significantly reduce biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in the water environment, protecting the watercourse and wildlife, allowing them to thrive.”

Works are set to begin in the summer, with completion in winter 2024/25.