United Utilities is set to invest more than £525m improving water quality across Salford over the next five years – the biggest ever upgrade to the city’s wastewater network.

The major package of works will cut storm overflows, protect waterways and make the sewer network more resilient for the future. Improvements include:

• Salford wastewater treatment works is set to undergo £225m upgrade including a new treatment process to remove more ammonia and phosphorus, delivering even cleaner water to the Manchester Ship Canal.  
• Eccles WwTW is set for a £302m upgrade which will include building a large underground tank with new pumping station, screening, and odour control. This will provide tens of thousands of cubic metres of extra storage and help cut spills to Salteye Brook and the Manchester Ship Canal. The 60,000m3 storage tank is expected to hold the equivalent of 24 Olympic sized swimming pools - which means more room in the system during periods of heavy rainfall, meaning fewer spills.
• The investment at Eccles is in addition to works currently being delivered next to the M60 near Liverpool Road where a 5,700m3 underground tank is being built to hold the equivalent of two Olympic sized swimming pools.
• The sewer capacity at Peel Green Road is also being increased to help reduce the risk of flooding.

A request for an Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Opinion has been submitted to the council for Salford WwTW with a similar request for Eccles WwTW is due to be summitted shortly.

Together, the investment over the next five years will ensure the sites meet the needs of a growing population and higher environmental standards that will improve water quality in the Manchester Ship Canal.

Chris Borradaile, wastewater services director at United Utilities, said: “We know how important improving water quality across the North West is to our customers. That’s why we’re working at pace to deliver schemes like these across the region. This is one of the biggest upgrades we’ve ever delivered to the wastewater network in Salford and will have a positive impact on the water quality in Salteye Brook and the Manchester Ship Canal.”

The investment is part of United Utilities’ £13 billion Big North West Upgrade. The investment will deliver new infrastructure, improve water quality, replace old water pipes, reduce leakage to its lowest-ever level, and protect over 500km of rivers and bathing waters reducing the use of storm overflows by 60% over the decade to 2030.

The works will be delivered through United Utilities’ new Enterprise delivery model, bringing together United Utilities and seven design and construction partners as one integrated team.