Mayor and local Councillors visit £48m project in Knutsford
Local councillors and the Mayor of Knutsford have seen first‑hand the progress being made on United Utilities’ £48 million scheme to upgrade the sewer network across Cheshire and improve water quality in Knutsford.
Last week, Councillors Bryan Hartley, Peter Coan and Colin Banks visited the company’s Parkgate Lane construction site in Knutsford to see progress on the first phase of works to build a new stormwater tunnelling solution.
At 1.8km long, the tunnel will be up to 20 metres underground at its deepest point and will be able to store up to 5.5 million litres of stormwater during periods of heavy rainfall, before it is treated at Knutsford wastewater treatment works.
During the visit, councillors were also introduced to the tunnel boring machine, recently named ‘Lily’ by pupils from Bexton Primary School, after the local watercourse. They learned more about how the machine will carve the route for the new tunnel to the treatment works, as well as the precision engineering required to complete the project by mid‑2027.
The second phase of the project includes a partnership approach with Natural England and Tatton Estates to remove a century’s worth of sediment build up in the Pool.
To safely complete this work, a fish rehoming exercise took place at Moor Pool last month. Specialist contractors safely netted and transferred 19 pike, 24 bream, one carp and large numbers of roach and perch further upstream in Peover, enabling essential work to be carried out to remove built‑up sediment.
Jane Simpson, United Utilities’ Commercial Engineering and Capital Delivery Director, explained how removing the sediment will help restore the pool’s health, improve water quality and protect the wildlife that depends on it. Once the works are complete, fish will naturally repopulate Moor Pool from downstream near Middle Pool.
Jane Simpson said: “This project highlights our ongoing commitment to improving water quality in the county and shows how working closely with partners can deliver innovative solutions to stormwater management in protected areas.
“Once complete, the scheme will be able to store up to 5.5 million litres of stormwater during heavy rainfall — the equivalent of two Olympic‑sized swimming pools.”
She added: “It was brilliant to see our local councillors and the Mayor taking such an interest in the project, and we look forward to continuing to work with them as the scheme progresses.”
The project forms part of United Utilities’ wider commitment to deliver the largest investment in water and wastewater infrastructure in a century across the North West. Over the next five years, the company will invest more than £13 billion to protect and enhance more than 500km of rivers, lakes and bathing waters, while safeguarding drinking water supplies for millions of customers.