Major milestone reached as part of improvements to Bolton wastewater treatment works

A major milestone has been hit on a project to improve water quality in the River Irwell. 

Work has been continuing at pace on a £110m scheme at Bolton Wastewater Treatment works and now a tunnelling machine has now been brought to site to complete a 150m dig.  The tunnel will form part of a pipework system, replacing the old outfall.

Local school children from the nearby St Saviour C of E Primary School were on hand to see the tunnelling machine, named Harriet as she arrived on site.  A number of pupils from the school have their designs displayed on hoarding around the site after a competition to design a poster of what not to flush down the loo. 

It’s part of a number of changes to the site off Red Rock Lane. To meet growing demand from the Bolton area, United Utilities will be increasing the capacity of the works to allow it to treat 20% more wastewater.  The increase in treatment capacity will also reduce the amount of times that the storm overflow operates in periods of heavy rain.

There will be major enhancements to the treatment processes at the works to use more innovative technology to treat the wastewater to a higher standard.  The storm overflow outfall pipe will also be relocated as part of the project.

Catherine Coupe, third party coordinator for United Utilities, said: “It was fantastic to welcome pupils from St Saviour C of E Primary school to mark this major milestone for the project so they could get a better understanding of what we’re doing in the area.  They were really interested to see the tunnelling machine and asked lots of questions. 

“The works are continuing at pace across the treatment works at the moment and this project will deliver real benefits to the water quality in the River Irwell.”

The full improvements will be operational by April 2025 with landscaping completed by the end of that year.

Further projects are taking place at Bury and Rossendale wastewater treatment works that together with the works at Bolton will improve the water quality along a 47km stretch of the River Irwell.