Yorkshire Water invests in Don River clean up in the UK

Yorkshire Water has started work on a £100 million investment plan to reduce flood risk and make the Don River the UK’s cleanest rivers.

The utility has begun a £78 million overhaul of the Blackburn Meadows water treatment plant, which treats wastewater from 830,000 homes in Sheffield and Rotherham.

It will construct a new storm overflow channel and refurbish a pumping station to prevent storm-related debris entering the river.

Also included in the overhauling plan are plants at Aldwarke, Woodhouse Mill, Old Whittington and Cudworth.

Yorkshire Water batch manager Mike Smith said, "The work will help to reduce flood risk by removing smaller items of debris from the water."

Apart from the Blackburn Meadows plant, there are filters attached at a dozen locations that provide entrance to the Don River with the objective it of keeping it debris-free.

Investments made by Yorkshire Water are part of a wider effort to clean the Don River. Agencies such as the Don Catchment River Trust and the Environment Agency have made similar investments.

Efforts are currently being made to reduce bank-side vegetation and remove debris from bridges, which is expected to improve the water flow in the river.