Berwick MP visits sewage treatment works after complaints from residents

She visited the site after multiple complaints from constituents about the site’s sewage discharge policy during, and post Storm Arwen.

The Conservative MP was given a tour by Richard Wareford (Wastewater Director), Paul Davidson (Project Manager), David Richardson (Treatment Works Manager), and Ross Smith (Partnership Manager).

During the tour, she was shown how recent substantial investment had been used to upgrade the sites facilities.

Asked what she thought of the new upgrades, Ms Trevelyan said: “I was pleased to be asked to see for myself this upgrade.

"I found it interesting to see the new tertiary treatment plant being installed, this will improve the quality of effluent discharging into Embleton Burn.

"This essential work will aid Northumbrian Water Group in improving the quality of rivers and coastal waters, which I know is so important to all of us.”

The upgrades come in wake of the largest overhaul of sewer systems by the Government, with the aim to eliminate the ecological harm sewage discharge causes to the environment.

The consultation on the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan outlines a step change in how water companies can tackle the number of discharges of untreated sewage, and how mapping their sewer networks, reducing surface water connections and engaging in long-term collaborative planning will enable them to achieve this.

This is the first Government to set out their expectation that water companies must take steps to significantly reduce storm overflows.