North Yorkshire councillors visit £4m storm overflow project

North Yorkshire councillors from different political parties visited a £4m Yorkshire Water project to reduce discharges into the river Seven from a storm overflow at Brawby wastewater treatment works.  

At the cross-party visit, Cllr George Jabbour, Cllr Subash Sharma, and Cllr Janet Sanderson, who represent Helmsley and Sinnington, Newby, and Thornton Dale and the Wolds respectively, saw the installation of a new surface water network in the village in action.  

Contract partners Mott MacDonald Bentley are underway with the installation of 300m of new surface water sewer, alongside a surface water pumping station within the current wastewater treatment works, and a rising main to pump the surface water directly into the river.  
 
The project forms part of a £180m investment programme across Yorkshire over the last two years to reduce discharges from storm overflows. In this instance, the introduction of the new network should also improve flood resilience in the village.  

Brawby’s North Yorkshire Councillor, George Jabbour, said: “I would like to thank Yorkshire Water for organising the cross-party visit and for inviting colleagues who represent other areas in North Yorkshire to join.  The scale of the investment in Brawby is impressive and the project that is being carried out will bring many benefits to local residents.  I am pleased with the positive results and the constructive working relationship that I have had with Yorkshire Water, not only on this matter, but also on other issues affecting the communities that I represent.” 

Cllr Janet Sanderson, of Thornton Dale and Wolds, said: “Living at the side of a ‘main river’ for over 30 years, I know the benefits of good water management. Healthy water courses make healthy people and healthy ecosystems. Partnership work between the smallest riparian owner up to the big giants like Yorkshire Water are key to good water quality and flood prevention, so I was delighted to see the progress being made at the Brawby site.” 

Omair Khan, project manager at Yorkshire Water, added: “It was a pleasure to have the councillors on site, show them what we’re doing, the progress that we have made since we started in January, and speak to them about the benefits the project will create for the village and the river Seven.” 

The project is expected to complete in Winter 2025.  
 
Looking ahead, Yorkshire Water will be investing £378m in storm overflow discharge reduction in North Yorkshire over the next five years, as part of a £1.5bn Yorkshire-wide programme.