Promise to cut sewage pumped into River Irwell as huge tunnelling machine begins waterside dig

Tunnelling equipment will bore through 150 metres of waterside land as a project to reduce the amount of sewage pumped into the River Irwell gathers pace. The work on the £110m scheme at Bolton waste water treatment works, near Kearsley, will form part of a pipework system, replacing the old outfall.

The tunnelling machine has now been brought to site, off Red Rock Lane, to complete a 150 metre dig. The tunnel will form part of a pipework system, replacing the old outfall and is part of a number of changes to the site.

To meet growing demand from the Bolton area, United Utilities says it will be increasing the capacity of the works to allow it to treat 20 per cent more waste water. The increase in treatment capacity will also reduce the amount of times that the storm overflow operates in periods of heavy rain.

There will be major enhancements to allow the use of more innovative technology to treat the waste water to a higher standard. The storm overflow outfall pipe will also be relocated as part of the project.

The full improvements will be operational by April 2025 with landscaping completed by the end of that year. Further projects are taking place at Bury and Rossendale waste water treatment works that, together with the works at Bolton, will improve the water quality along a 47km stretch of the River Irwell.

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School children from the nearby St Saviour C of E Primary School were invited to see the tunnelling machine, named Harriet, as she arrived on site. A number of pupils from the school have their designs displayed on hoarding around the site after a competition to design a poster of what not to flush down the loo.

Catherine Coupe, third party coordinator for United Utilities, said: “It was fantastic to welcome pupils from St Saviour C of E Primary school to mark this major milestone for the project so they could get a better understanding of what we’re doing in the area.

“They were really interested to see the tunnelling machine and asked lots of questions. “The works are continuing at pace across the treatment works at the moment and this project will deliver real benefits to the water quality in the River Irwell.”