Hello Hexham
Thank you to everyone who attended our event.
Working hard with partners and local people in their communities, we are restoring and regenerating our natural environment, creating an even better place to live and work through our local actions.
We’re investing a total of around £4.5bn in total across the whole business from 2025 to 2030 - subject to Ofwat’s approval. This includes work to improve overall river water quality. This is the largest investment programme in the last 30 years.
Around £947m of this will reduce the use of storm overflows and improve bathing water quality, including in the Hexham area.
Here are some key projects:
We are making significant investments in the Hexham area to improve water quality and infrastructure.
- Specifically, we have invested £5.25 million in Whittle Dene Water Treatment Works to enhance the resilience and quality of water supplies. This includes the installation of two new tanks and upgrades to other treatment processes.
- We have also invested £3.5 million at Wark Sewage Treatment Works to increase the capacity of the site. This will help manage increased levels of sewage and rainwater due to population growth and climate change, protecting the River Tyne from pollution.
Our goal is to prevent pollution and sewage from entering rivers and seas across our region.
- Storm overflows are an important part of our wastewater network because they protect customers’ homes and the environment. They operate automatically as a relief system during heavy rain or storm conditions, or if the sewers are overwhelmed because of more water or blockages and reduce the risk of flooding to streets, homes, and businesses.
- Watch our storm overflow information video (opens new window).
- Our digital interactive map (opens new window) shows up-to-date storm overflow information across the region. You can also watch our launch video of the map (opens new window).
- Information on our plans for Storm Overflows can be viewed on the national storm overflow interactive map (opens new window).
- The Acomb storm overflow in the Hexham area is the key one we will be investing in, in the coming years.
If you live in Hexham, your drinking water is supplied by us.
- The water comes from a combination of sources, including reservoirs, rivers and underground aquifers.
- In Hexham, your water supply primarily comes from the Whittle Dene Water Treatment Works. This facility, managed by us, serves around 400,000 customers in the area. The treatment works ensures the water is clean and safe for drinking.
Since the start of our Catchment Based Approach in 2014, we’ve played a key role in catchment management as part of the Tyne Catchment Partnership, sharing plans and activities with partners to improve the river and its contributing areas, including supporting local sub-catchment partnerships for the River Don and Ouseburn, and our work through the South Tyne Holistic Catchment project.
- We want to help others do their part to protect our environment. That’s why we’ve established the Thriving Catchments initiative, and are working with the national Rivers Trust, our local Tyne Rivers Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust and other local partners and farmers and land managers to look at managing pollutants in the Tyne catchment before they get to the river. This includes investigating sources of pollution throughout the Tyne which also impact drinking water sources for our abstraction upstream of Hexham.
Bluespaces are water environments accessible to customers via road, footpath, bridleway, other public rights of way, or at a country park or beach.
- We made a pledge to improve 500km of Bluespaces for our customers by 2030. By 2025 we’ll be halfway there, after completing over 70 projects through partners, and we have big ambitions for delivering really impactful projects where they are most needed in the second half of the programme.
- So far, since its initiation in 2020, Bluespaces has helped deliver over 5,000 volunteer days and engaged over 700 volunteers across 40 projects. Our co-funding has helped plant nearly 8,000 new trees, created over 400 ha of new wetland, and helped tackle 8 different kinds of invasive non-native species (INNS), as well as enhancing access and recreational facilities for local communities.
- Please visit www.nwg.co.uk/responsibility/environment/bluespaces/our-scheme for more information on Bluespaces.
- We encourage our customers and local groups to let us know where and what these should be. If you have any ideas, get in touch by emailing bluespaces@nwl.co.uk
The Branch Out fund supports projects that protect local ecosystems.
- Enhancing and linking habitats protects local flora and fauna by building their resilience to climate change.
- If you, or your organisation, are involved in a project doing this, then the Branch Out Fund might be able to help you! Applications for grants of anywhere between £1 - £10,000 are very welcome. You can read the guidance notes (opens new window) on the sorts of projects that quality for grant funding.
- Email applications to branchout@nwl.co.uk
Even after our planned big investments we still expect bills in the North East to be the lowest in England.
- We know our communities are facing a cost-of-living crisis with food, housing, transport, and other bills going up.
- We are committed to helping those that need it most. If you or anyone you know is struggling to pay their bills, please talk to us. There are lots of ways we can help.
- Try our eligibility checker to find out which of our financial support schemes you may be eligible for.
Are you passionate about caring for our local waterways and making a difference in your community? If you are then why not become a Water Ranger?
- Water Rangers are an enthusiastic group of local volunteers who roll up their sleeves and take positive local action by reporting any issues and notable wildlife they see in and around our local rivers and streams.
- Don’t delay, email waterrangers@nwl.co.uk to join today.
We think it’s important to give back to make a positive impact in our local communities.
- All our teams are encouraged to volunteer to support community groups and charities through our Just an Hour scheme.
- This important initiative gets our teams out in the communities we serve, putting their shoulders to the wheel of great causes - people choose causes that resonate with them personally - for at least 15 hours a year.
- Find out more about Just an Hour (opens new window).
Find out more
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