WELSH Water’s £8 million investment to upgrade the wastewater system in Norton and Presteigne is making great progress and is on track to be completed for summer 2022.

The work being carried out by the not-for profit utility company will help improve the quality of the water which is released to the environment. This in turn will boost water quality in the Norton Brook and River Lugg and ensure Welsh Water continue to provide a first-class wastewater service to householders in the area for decades to come.

The first phase of the investment work got underway in Norton last year and involved building a brand-new pumping station which will pump waste to Presteigne Wastewater Treatment Works, where it will be treated before being safely returned to the environment. While the majority of the work took place within the site and private land, some work has been carried out within sections of the B4355 road.

It is anticipated that the work in Norton will be completed by the end of December this year.

The second phase will start at Presteigne Wastewater Treatment Work on Monday, June 7. It will involve upgrading the existing assets to improve the way the waste is treated and will be carried out solely within the existing Welsh Water compound. To help minimise disruption for the local community, a temporary access track will be constructed through private land off the B4362.

It is expected that the work in Presteigne will take approximately one year to complete.

“Our work in Norton has been ongoing since December 2020 and we’re pleased to say that it’s been progressing well,” said Welsh Water’s project manager, Angela Meadows.

“The second phase is about to get underway at Presteigne Wastewater Treatment Works and will help ensure we continue to provide a first-class wastewater service and protect our valuable environment.

“We always want to make sure our customers know what we are doing when we are working in their community, so we have written to residents in Presteigne to tell them about the work and have updated our website with the latest information.

“We appreciate that this kind of work can cause some inconvenience, but we will do all we can to keep this to a minimum and would like to thank people for bearing with us whilst we undertake these essential works.”