Centre’s £4m upgrade to improve quality of river water around Holbeach

Holbeach’s Water Recycling Centre (WRC) is set for a £4m upgrade to improve river water quality.

Anglian Water says it is installing new equipment which will remove phosphorous from wastewater. 

Work will begin on site this month and is expected to finish by May 2023.

An Anglian Water spokesman said: “As the upgrades are taking place on site at the WRC, Anglian Water customers in the Holbeach area should not experience any disruption during the scheme.

“Phosphorous is widely used in soaps and cleaning products but can be harmful to wildlife when it reaches rivers and other watercourses.

“The investment at Holbeach WRC, which is worth £4 million, includes new equipment to strengthen the current water recycling process and remove even more phosphorous from wastewater. 

“Anglian Water’s team has used detailed modelling of the local system to design a robust engineering scheme which will protect local watercourses in Holbeach now and in the future.

“This investment means the water entering the River Whaplode from Holbeach WRC will be even cleaner, protecting wildlife and water quality in the river, as well as other downstream watercourses. 

“This work follows a £1 million investment by the water company last year to install a new storm tank at Holbeach WRC.

“This tank holds excess rainwater, helping ensure the site’s systems have adequate capacity to fully treat increased flows of storm water during extreme weather.

“The upcoming phosphorous removal scheme, along with the new storm tank, will work together to protect and enhance river water quality in Holbeach for years to come.”

Stuart Robson, Regional Treatment Manager, said: “We’re really pleased that these upgrades to Holbeach’s Water Recycling Centre will help to protect nearby rivers and increase our resilience to climate change, by helping us make sure the wastewater is treated to an even higher standard than usual before it’s returned to the natural environment. 

“We know how important rivers and the wider environment are to our customers and local communities. That’s why we’ve committed through our Get River Positive programme that our water recycling processes will not harm rivers.”