en.Wedoany.com Reported - UK water company Northumbrian Water is conducting a trial in the Stanley area of County Durham, aiming to protect the Stanley Burn river and downstream waterways by reducing discharges from ten storm overflows. In partnership with Esh-Stantec, the company is exploring the use of recycled plastic containers as an alternative to traditional concrete storage tanks or large pipes to increase network storage capacity, addressing the issue of storm overflow spills. This concept originated from the company's 2025 Innovation Festival, adapting a solution originally designed to reduce surface water flooding for use in combined sewer systems.

If the trial proves successful, these modular storage containers can be procured quickly and installed at a lower cost, minimizing disruption to local communities. The modular storage containers hold water during heavy rainfall, reducing the likelihood of spills into waterways, and then drain the water back into the network once flows subside.

Project Manager David Groark said: "As we invest heavily in our £1.7 billion environmental improvement programme, adapting this idea from surface water management for use in combined sewers has real potential. Not only is this a lower carbon solution compared to installing concrete storage tanks, but the installation process is also faster, meaning we spend less time working in communities, which saves costs. If this trial proves it to be a successful and effective solution for reducing spills, we can start looking at other storm overflows to see where else it could be applied."

Lead Engineer Tim Cutter said: "If this trial demonstrates the benefits we expect, these modular storage containers are easily and quickly procured and are likely best suited to locations requiring smaller capacities, like the 60-cubic-metre container installed in Stanley. They also have the potential to provide solutions in other parts of the network, such as at the inlets to wastewater treatment works, protecting these facilities during storm conditions."

This trial represents a significant step for Northumbrian Water in reducing discharges from storm overflows and is expected to offer a replicable solution for similar issues.

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