A £5.5 million investment project to help improve water quality in the river Cleddau is due to begin.

Welsh Water is set to upgrade Spittal Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) in Pembrokeshire from January 2024.

The treatment works already treats the wastewater it receives from the surrounding area to a high standard, but the planned upgrades will see the treatment process enhanced even further.

The project, which will see preparation works start before Christmas, will include the introduction of a process which removes phosphates from the treated wastewater. Phosphates can cause algal bloom so by removing them from the treated wastewater, this will help reduce levels in the nearby river Cleddau – which in turn will benefit the river quality and its aquatic life.

This work forms part of Welsh Water’s planned £16 million investment to improve water quality in the river Cleddau before the end of March 2025.

Other treatment works due to be upgraded by the not-for-profit utility company in the wider Cleddau catchment include Letterston (£3.9m), Rosemarket (£1m) and Wolfscastle (£6.5m).

Welsh Water’s Managing Director of Wastewater, Steve Wilson, said: “As a company, we are committed to ensuring we protect the environment, and that includes the watercourses we interact with.

“There are a number of factors which contribute to phosphate levels in watercourses, and we are committed to ensuring we do all that we can to keep our contribution to the absolute minimum. Our significant investment here in Spittal reflects this. 

“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 this essential work.”