Tameside water to see millions in investment

United Utilities has promised to invest £215 million into improving water quality across Tameside across the next five years. 

The plan comes as United Utilities is set to spend more than £13 billion over the next five years to improve water across the UK, covering over 500 kilometres of rivers and lakes to protect areas and improve drinking water for customers. 

The company is set to upgrade three of its treatment works and reduce the number of times that up to 20 storm overflows in the area operate, with the first project set to start later this year. 

The plan will notably see upgrades to the Dukinfield Wastewater treatment works, where new technology will be installed to ensure the treated water coming out of the works will be sent back to the environment with lower levels of phosphorus and ammonia, which can lead to algae and less oxygen in the water.

Similar improvements are expected to be seen in works in Ashton and Hyde. 

At the same time, a portion of the £215 million investment will also see work being done to drainage areas across Ashton, Dukinfield, Hyde and Mossley to better handle storms and floods in each area. 

Together, all the projects will help improve the quality of the ater in the River Tame and its tributaries of Denton and Swineshaw Brook.

Chris Borradaile, Wastewater Lead for Greater Manchester at United Utilities, said: “We’ve got really ambitious plans for improving water quality right across Tameside over the next five years. 

“By upgrading our three biggest works in the area and tackling up to 20 storm overflows, it will really help to improve the River Tame and its tributaries.”