United Utilities have some good news for residents of Burneside in Cumbria.
The water company has announced it is planning a major new project to tackle sewer flooding in the village during heavy storms.
The work will help prevent sewer flooding from a manhole at Steeles Row in the centre of the village and reduce the risk of sewage being discharged to the River Kent.
It involves increasing the size of the existing sewer, that runs the length of Burneside Road, and building a new storage tank upstream of the Carlingdale pumping station.
United Utilities will be communicating its plans in more detail to the local community early next year when preparations for the project begin in earnest. The company also intends to host drop-in sessions for local residents to find out more about the project including when construction will start.
A spokesperson for United Utilities said: “We’re planning to double the size of the sewer that currently serves the village, which will allow it to cope better with heavy rainfall.
“Before work starts, we’re also working closely with the Environment Agency, as part of the delivery of the Kendal Flood Defence project, to time the construction of both projects so that we minimise disruption to local residents.”
Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, commented: “We’ve been pushing for this for a long time. Folks in Burneside know that when there’s moderate rainfall, the drains on Steeles Row are unable to cope and you get raw sewage on the streets. It’s taken many years to get here but I’m delighted United Utilities have been able to reach a solution to stop this happening in the future.”
