Science festival to lift lid on sewage secrets

Yorkshire Water is inviting people to look round Esholt waste water treatment works as part of the British Science Festival which is taking place in Bradford from September 10 until 15.

The Esholt tours take place on the first day.

Visitors can then learn about what happens to waste water, how the waste is used to create sources of renewable energy, and how waste water is treated and returned to the environment, helping to make the region’s rivers “cleaner than they have been since the Industrial Revolution,” according to Yorkshire Water.

Company community affairs manager Anne Reed said: “Our Esholt waste water treatment works is something that local people will know exists but they may not know what the purpose of the site is.

“The open day gives people the chance to come and see for themselves the work that Yorkshire Water does.

“Esholt serves a population equivalent of 730,000 people taking sewage and industrial waste from the surrounding area. Every minute 3,200 litres of sewage is treated at the works using the latest technology.

“We would encourage people to book on the tour as places are limited.”

People registering for the tour will also get to see the company’s state-of-the-art environmental visitor centre and meet with women engineers to find out about their roles within the company.

Places on the free tours must be booked in advance by contacting [email protected] or by calling 01274 436485.

The tours will take place at 9am, 10.15am, 1pm, 2.15pm, and 3.30pm and those going must be aged eight or over.

The www.theukrc.org/events website also says visitors will be provided with personal protection equipment.

Previous festivals have each attracted more than 50,000 visitors. It last visited Bradford in 1900.