Major Barrow Water Quality Project Reaches Construction Milestone
A major construction milestone has been reached in Barrow as work advances on infrastructure designed to improve water quality.
United Utilities has started drilling the foundation piles for a new underground storage tank at its Flass Lane site. The work marks the beginning of a significant phase in the construction programme, which began towards the end of last year. The tank will have a capacity of 5,500 cubic metres, making it larger than two Olympic-sized swimming pools and providing additional space to hold stormwater during periods of heavy rainfall.
The new facility is intended to reduce the frequency of discharges from nine storm overflows in the Barrow area. By temporarily storing excess stormwater, the system will allow it to be treated before being released back into the environment. The project forms part of wider efforts to improve water quality in the Walney Channel, with potential benefits extending to Morecambe Bay and the Irish Sea.
The scheme also involves installing new pipework to connect the existing sewer network to the underground tank. Additional storage infrastructure is planned between Flass Lane and Flass Meadows. Construction is expected to take approximately two years, after which the site will be landscaped. The work is intended to increase the capacity of the local wastewater network and help it manage periods when heavy rainfall places additional pressure on the system.
Westmorland and Furness Council officers and councillors have recently visited the site to see the progress and receive an update from the project team. Councillor Tony Callister, chair of the Furness Locality Board, welcomed the investment, saying it was good to see improvements being delivered across Barrow. He said the work reflected what local people wanted to see and offered lasting benefits for communities.
Fiona Edmondson, regional delivery manager at United Utilities, described the start of piling as a significant milestone and welcomed the opportunity to show local councillors the progress being made. The company said the visit also provided an opportunity to explain the wider programme of investment taking place across the town, beyond the individual Flass Lane construction site.
The Flass Lane project is one part of a wider programme involving improvements to 21 storm overflows across nine locations in Barrow before 2030. The investment is intended to reduce stormwater spills and protect water environments around the Furness peninsula. United Utilities is also undertaking a wider programme across the North West, with more than £13 billion planned for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements before 2030.
The work comes amid continuing attention on water quality in coastal and inland waters across the region. The effectiveness of the Barrow improvements will depend on the completion of the construction programme and the operation of the new storage and pipework systems. Once finished, the Flass Lane facility is expected to provide additional capacity during heavy rainfall and contribute to the wider effort to reduce pressure on local sewer infrastructure.
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