Water quality improved ‘due to £5.3m upgrade’

MP Michael Dugher has officially re-opened Cudworth waste water treatment works, near Barnsley, after its £5.3m upgrade.

Yorkshire Water has installed a new system in which bacteria from the water are grown on floating discs, before breaking off as lumps and being screened out.

This process, known as a Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor and disc filter system, has not previously been used in Yorkshire.

Project manager Caroline Farnham said: “Following the refurbishment of the treatment works at Cudworth, the water leaving the site will be even better quality, which is great news for fish and wildlife populations of the River Dearne.

“The innovative technology we’ve used at Cudworth is now being assessed for use on other projects as it has saved money and reduced the energy the site needs to run, reducing carbon emissions.”

Following completion of the project, which ended six months ahead of schedule, Cudworth waste water works is now capable of treating more than 41 gallons of waste water every second.

Mr Dugher said: “I was honoured to be asked to open the newly-refurbished water treatment site in Cudworth, and was very impressed by the improved processes in place.

“Yorkshire Water has delivered a cutting-edge water treatment centre for the people of Barnsley.

“The refurbished site will provide much-improved water quality, at the same time as being more energy efficient.”

Other aspects of the improvement works include a “pre-packaged” inlet works -the part of the process where the waste water first enters the plant.

This was built and tested at a different location and then plumbed in in Cudworth.