Dwr Cymru Welsh Water have completed the first phase of their £8 million investment in Norton – two months’ ahead of schedule.

The work in Norton involved building a brand-new pumping station which will pump waste to Presteigne Wastewater Treatment Works to be treated before it is 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.

The work in Norton forms part of an £8 million investment made by the not-for-profit company to help boost water quality in the Norton Brook and River Lugg, helping to ensure the company provides a first-class wastewater service to households in the area for decades to come.

The second phase is currently taking place at Presteigne Wastewater Treatment Works and involves upgrading the existing assets to improve the way the waste is treated. This work is being carried out solely within the existing Welsh Water compound and is on track to be completed by the end of Spring 2022.

Welsh Water’s Project Manager, Angela Meadows, said: “We’re pleased to announce that our investment work in the Norton area is now complete. This investment reflects our commitment to reinvest profits directly for the benefit of our customers and the communities that we service, helping to ensure we provide a first-class wastewater service and protect our precious environment.

“We understand that our work may have caused some inconvenience at times, so we really do appreciate the patience and understanding shown to us by local residents and would like to thank them for bearing with us while we completed our work.”

During the work, contractors Morgan Sindall – who carried out the work on behalf of Welsh Water – arranged a voluntary community clean-up to pick up litter in areas identified by members of Presteigne and Norton’s Town Council.

Morgan Sindall’s Project Manager, Mark Thomas, said: “As a team, we have really appreciated the cleanliness of the rural setting and wanted to play our part in helping keep the town tidy.

“We have built up some good relationships with the community and local landowners, so we wanted to take this opportunity to give something back as a thank you for bearing with us while we’ve been working in the area.”