How ozone is helping clean up Ludlow river - MP goes on fact-finding visit

Severn Trent’s £78m Bathing Rivers project involves improving more than 50km of waterways, including helping towards creating a ‘bathing river’ quality stretch of the Teme in Ludlow.

Now South Shropshire's new MP has been on a fact finding visit to the company's Ludlow sewage treatment works to find out how ozone - oxygen gas with three atoms instead of two - is helping boost river health.

The pioneering use of ozone disinfection cleans waste water to the 'highest possible standard', before being returned to the river in its most natural state.

Mr Anderson also heard more about Severn Trent’s £450m plan to reduce storm overflow spills.

The region-wide programme of investment is already underway and once complete, some 20 per cent of spills from storm overflows are set to be eradicated.

The accelerated programme of initiatives will see the company delivering improvements across around 900 sites in 2024 alone.

Mr Anderson said: “It was fascinating to have a tour of Severn Trent’s sewage treatment works here in Ludlow and hear how ozone disinfectant can help improve river health on the River Teme.

“It was also very encouraging to hear about Severn Trent’s plans to cut storm overflow spills with £450m of investment - a real issue of importance to local people.”

Thomas VanPraag, Lead Project Manager for Severn Trent, said: “We are committed to restoring and revitalising rivers, including the use of ground-breaking ozone technology being used here in Ludlow.

“We were delighted to host the visit of Mr Anderson and show him exactly how this pioneering scheme works and also how we are investing £450m to reduce storm overflow spills.”