Ambitious plans to invest £1.5 billion to reduce storm overflow spills have been revealed.

Severn Trent has revealed the funding after a year of record rainfall in its region, much of which is the Midlands.

As a result of significantly wetter weather, with 33 per cent more rainfall in Worcestershire than in 2022, the water provider has said it will invest £384 million in the coming 2024/25 financial year to improve river health, including the reduction of storm overflows across the region, with an impressive £1.1 billion set to follow through to 2030.

<hr>

Read more: Bike4Life Festival returns with a new venue for 2024

<hr>

Last year's Storm Babet proved historical for the county, resulting in unprecedented rainfall and increasing the demand for effective management of storm overflows to protect rivers.

In response to the escalating concern, the company has shared an update on its 'Get River Positive' scheme, which aims to improve the overall health of the region's waterways and reduce its operational impact on the rivers to as little as 10 per cent by next year.

Currently, the company's operations are responsible for 14 per cent of River Not Achieving Good Ecological Status (RNAGs*) in Worcestershire.

However, the company is confident in drastically reducing this figure, primarily through an investment of £250 million in 134 storm overflows across the county.

Bob Stear, Severn Trent’s chief engineer, said: "These types of extreme weather conditions are likely to become more typical, so we’re accelerating investment even quicker to get ahead of such intense periods of rain to reduce the number of spills from storm overflows.

He added: “We’re actively seeking out new innovations and smart interventions including Artificial Intelligence capabilities, with more teams of people now dedicated to our spill reduction commitments to deliver the industry leading targets."

The company has also committed to a £30 million investment, concentrated towards improving effluent quality at sewage treatment works at Spernal, Priest Bridge, and Astwood Bank..

Alvechurch’s sewage treatment works will see £2.7 million investment in the removal of phosphorus from wastewater, a crucial step in enhancing river health.

An additional £3.5 million in Green Recovery funding has been assigned to enhancing the quality of effluent discharged from Sedgeberrow’s sewage treatment works.