Work to build a new storm storage tank in Falmouth has now been completed as part of a major project by South West Water to improve the town’s sewage network and reduce the use of storm overflows.
The new underground tank, which was completed earlier this month, has been built beneath the car park at Gyllngvase Beach.
Holding over 300,000 litres, the tank will capture excess flows in the sewer network during periods of heavy rainfall and safely store them until there is capacity at the local treatment works to be fully treated.
This will help to reduce storm overflow spills from South West Water’s Queen Mary Gardens pumping station and safeguard water quality at Gyllyngvase Beach, which has consistently enjoyed “Good” bathing water status, as designated by the Environment Agency.
The project is part of South West Water’s record programme of investment in wastewater infrastructure, with similar schemes already delivering strong results.
The new storm tank marks the first stage of a wider programme of improvements planned for Falmouth.
South West Water is also exploring further works to reduce the pressure on the network and tackle spills from other storm overflows in the town.
Detailed modelling of the Falmouth sewer network is nearing completion, helping engineers understand how the system responds to heavy rainfall and where further improvements are needed to reduce storm overflows.
Charlie Ford, Project Manager for Falmouth, said: “This investment is really important for the Falmouth area and I’m really pleased we’ve been able to complete the first phase of these vital improvements.
“This new storm storage tank will help to reduce the use of storm overflows in the area, particularly during heavy rainfall, and will play a key role of protecting the quality of local bathing waters.
“We have more works planned for the future which will enable us to make further improvements to the town’s sewage network and help us to reduce spills in the future.”
For more information about South West Water’s projects and investments visit https://www.southwestwater.co.uk/about-us/what-we-do/engineering-projects