Utility company Wessex Water is to invest almost £2 million this summer to reduce the amount of untreated sewage that flows into Warminster’s rivers during heavy storms.

Construction teams will move on to land next to Weymouth Street in the centre of the town in August to help sink a storage tank capable of holding more than 400,000 litres.

The underground tank will hold the excess water from sewers during storms. Once the rainfall has subsided it will then release it to a water recycling plant.

The scheme will enhance the protection of the nearby Were (Swan River) – a tributary of the 28-mile River Wylye that runs through Wiltshire - and continues Wessex Water’s push towards removing the automatic discharge of sewer water that hasn’t yet been treated.

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Wiltshire Times: The River Were (Swan River) in Warminster

Project manager Greg Andrews said: “This is a hefty investment towards helping to protect the environment in and around Warminster and it will dramatically reduce the impact heavy storms have on overwhelming the sewer system and causing overflows to operate.

“Overflows are designed as a relief valve to protect homes from flooding - if there is too much rainfall in the system, the overflow automatically discharges into watercourses, such as rivers.

“By holding this excess mix of water back, the tank can reduce incidents of a nearby storm overflow operating automatically.’’

The tank will be sunk below ground in a small car park, next to the Ottoman Kebab House, towards the north end of Weymouth Street during the seven-month project, which is scheduled to be completed by next March.

Wiltshire Times: Wessex Water completed a similar scheme in Victory Field, Bradford on Avon, in April. Wessex Water completed a similar scheme in Victory Field, Bradford on Avon, in April. (Image: Wessex Water)

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A northbound single lane closure for through traffic will be in operation on Weymouth Street, at the Morrison’s Petrol Station roundabout during the course of the project, with a diversion in place, and access down Weymouth Street for southbound through traffic from the B3414 maintained.  

Mr Andrews added: “We have written to customers and businesses throughout the town and are already working closely with Warminster Town Council about this work.

“We’ll also be hosting a community drop-in session in the Arn Room at Warminster Civic Centre in Sambourne Road on Thursday, 6 June, between 2-5pm and we hope customers will come along to find out more about the project and our team will be available to answer their questions.”

The Warminster project follows the completion of a similar scheme in Bradford on Avon in April as part of a near-£2 million investment.