£50m investment completed in Bury to help improve water quality in the River Irwell

United Utilities has completed a major £50 million project at its wastewater treatment works in Bury that will help improve water quality in the River Irwell.

The scheme has delivered two new storm tanks at the site, increasing the amount of storm water that can be stored during periods of heavy rainfall and helping to reduce the number of times storm overflows operate.

Together, the tanks can hold 6,000 cubic metres of storm water, the equivalent of around two and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools. Construction began in May 2024 and was completed this summer.

The project is one of several investments being delivered by United Utilities across the Bury area to help reduce spills and improve water quality in the River Irwell and the surrounding catchment.

Emma Oakes, Wastewater Business Lead for Greater Manchester at United Utilities, said: "This is a major investment for Bury and an important step in improving water quality in the River Irwell. By increasing the amount of storm water we can store during heavy rainfall, these new tanks will help reduce the need for storm overflows to operate and deliver lasting environmental benefits for the local area.

"This is just one of a number of projects we're delivering across Bury and Greater Manchester as we continue to invest in improving water quality right across the region.”

The scheme forms part of the largest investment in water and wastewater infrastructure for a century. United Utilities is investing more than £13 billion to protect and enhance more than 500 kilometres of rivers, lakes and bathing waters, while safeguarding drinking water supplies for millions of customers across the North West.