United Utilities completes three projects in West Cumbria to improve water quality

United Utilities has completed three projects in West Cumbria that will help improve water quality in the county.

The North West’s water company has built storage tanks to help reduce the number of times storm overflows operate at sites in Arlecdon, Deanscales and Threapland.

In Arlecdon, the company built a 83m3 storm tank that will help improve water quality in Winder beck. Further work to reinstate the land at the site will be carried out in Spring 2026.

At Deanscales, the company built an additional 152m3 storage that will help improve water quality in a tributary of Far Stock beck.

Whilst in Threapland the company completed a 16m3 storage tank, replaced the outfall pipework and constructed a new headwall that will help improve water quality in Threapland Gill.

Andrew Kendall, Wastewater Business Lead for Cumbria, said: “We know our customers are passionate about us playing our part to help improve water quality across Cumbria. That’s why we accelerated these three projects to help us deliver environmental benefits even quicker by reducing the number of times these overflows operate.   

“Right across the county we’re working at pace to deliver similar projects that will allow us to continue to cut number of times that storm overflows operate in periods of heavy rain.”

It comes as United Utilities embarks on the largest investment in water and wastewater infrastructure for a century across the North West.  The company will be spending more than £13bn over the next five years to protect and enhance over 500km of rivers, lakes and bathing waters whilst safeguarding drinking water supplies for millions of customers.