LOOKING AFTER THE ENVIRONMENT IS ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES.

All Water And Sewage Companies were required to produce a Drainage Wastewater Management Plan (DWMP) to assess the performance of their wastewater network and assets. The DWMP published by NWG in May 2023 identified 30 Storm Overflows (SOs) in the Berwick area where interventions can help us meet Government targets and protect the area’s rivers and coast.

Of the 30 storm overflows requiring intervention, 18 were included in the AMP8 Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) beginning in our 2025-30 investment period.

This includes 13 SOs linked to the designated bathing water and a further five SOs discharging to priority estuarine receiving water.

As part of our commitment to reduce spills from Storm Overflows (SOs), OFWAT has approved the acceleration of funding to complete a feasibility study for the Berwick catchment (including Spittal). This will help understand the full range of interventions required to reduce spills at the storm overflows. The design and construction phase will begin in our 2025-2030 investment period.

As part of the feasibility work, we will be carrying out survey work on the existing sewerage network within the town over the next few months to better understand the performance of our existing assets which will assist with the development of our plans.

Inevitably some of the survey work will require traffic management and temporary traffic light control to safely access manholes etc, however, we are working closely with Northumberland County Council to reduce disruption to residents and visitors.

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU

We invest hundreds of millions of pounds every year to maintain and upgrade our water and sewer assets so we can make sure we provide you with a top quality product and safeguard our water and environment well into the future. Working in partnership to deliver water and sewerage services that meet the needs of current and future generations is one of our top priorities.

We recognise that, with construction work, noise and traffic disruption is difficult to avoid. Please be assured that we will do our best to reduce any inconvenience to you.

We want you to receive an outstanding service while we work in your community, and to help us deliver this, we have some guiding principles for our employees and partners.

When our work directly affects you, we will seek your views during the planning stage.

We will work with the local community and other relevant stakeholders to minimise the impact of what we need to do.

When working next to your home or business, we will do our best to contact you before the work begins and update you on progress and about any changes that may occur.

If we need to work on your land or in your property, we will return your land and/or property back to the condition they were immediately before the work began. We will agree this with you before we begin.

Our employees and partners will always act in a professional, courteous and helpful manner, keep their promises and ensure that any issues are resolved within a reasonable and agreed timescale.

Your opinion is important to us. We will ask for feedback on the performance of our employees and partners, as well as the impact our work has had on your and your community.

We will make sure work is carried out safely and that our working areas are secure and tidy.

We will respond quickly to any enquiries and investigate any concerns you may have about our work without delay.