Upgrade for sewage works at East Shefford to improve water quality

In recent years the Environment Agency (EA) has pledged to regenerate the River Lambourn after it found wildlife was missing from parts of the waterway.
The river, one of the UK's premier chalk rivers, is rich with wildlife, such as wild brown trout, water voles and water crowfoot.
However these species have become rarer in the urban stretches, prompting the Environment Agency to promise action.
Meanwhile Thames Water has announced the £2.14 million improvements at East Shefford to increased the capacity of the works while adding another treatment process, further improving the water discharged into this treasured chalk waterway.
Chalk streams are globally rare and the Lambourn, home to protected native species such as bullheads and brook lampreys, is a designated special area of conservation (SAC).
During winter months the river can dry up completely - in March this year EA staff and members of the public were on the banks helping to save frogs from the dried up waterway - before starting to run again in spring.
This means that treated waste water makes up an important amount of the flow and the upgrades will ensure that the outfall remains of an exceptionally high quality.
The project at East Shefford sewage works, due to finish in December, involves installing a new storm tank.
This will increase the amount of sewage the works can handle during heavy downpours, reducing the risk of the system becoming overwhelmed and discharging untreated sewage into the river.
The project also includes an additional tertiary treatment process. The new nitrifying sand filter will reduce the amount of ammonia and suspended solid material in the final effluent, making the final outflow into the river even cleaner.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Natural Environment, Water and Rural Affairs, Newbury MP Richard Benyon, said: "We all love our rivers. They are the lifeblood of our country.
“They’ve shaped our landscape, and our towns and cities have been designed around them. They are vitally important for our everyday lives and our environment, and we’ve all got a role to play in making sure our rivers are as healthy as they can be.”