The integrated team will spearhead a £525m programme to modernise wastewater assets across the city over the next five years – slashing storm overflows, boosting resilience and tightening environmental performance.
At the heart of the push are two flagship treatment works upgrades.
Two-phase Salford wastewater treatment works plan
Salford wastewater treatment works is in line for a £225m revamp, introducing a new process to strip out more ammonia and phosphorus before treated flows discharge into the Manchester Ship Canal.
Given the limited space available for development at Salford, demolition of five of the existing trickling filters will be required to free up land for construction.
The works will have to be constructed in two phases; phase one on the contaminated land area which, once commissioned, will provide sufficient process capacity to release an element of the exiting tricking filter beds for construction.
Eccles wastewater treatment works will see an even bigger £302m investment.
Plans include a 60,000m3 underground storage tank – equivalent to 24 Olympic-sized swimming pools – alongside a new pumping station, screening plant and odour control systems.
Demolition of the existing north bank of six trickling filters will be required to free land for the construction of new assets
The extra storage will ease pressure on the network during heavy rainfall and cut spills to Salteye Brook and the Manchester Ship Canal.
The Eccles scheme comes on top of works already underway near the M60 at Liverpool Road, where a 5,700m3 underground tank is being built. Sewer capacity at Peel Green Road will also be boosted to lower local flood risk.
Environmental Impact Assessment screening requests have been lodged with Salford Council for both treatment works upgrades.
Chris Borradaile, Wastewater Services Director at United Utilities, said: “We know how important improving water quality across the North West is to our customers.
“That’s why we’re working at pace to deliver schemes like these across the region. This is one of the biggest upgrades we’ve ever delivered to the wastewater network in Salford and will have a positive impact on the water quality in Salteye Brook and the Manchester Ship Canal.”
The Salford programme forms part of United Utilities’ £13bn Big North West Upgrade, which will drive new infrastructure, replace ageing water mains, cut leakage to record lows and reduce storm overflows by 60% by 2030 while protecting more than 500km of rivers and bathing waters.