Banbury treatment works capacity to increase by 84 percent
15/04/2025
Banbury’s MP joined Cropredy Women’s Institute to tour the facility
By 2029 the Banbury Sewage Treatment Works will be able to process 490 litres of wastewater per second – an increase of 84 percent over the 266 litres per second it can currently deal with.
Thames Water is carrying out a £14.7 million upgrade at the works, which should result in a greatly reduced risk of storm overflows into local rivers during spells of heavy rainfall, when sewer systems can become overwhelmed.
As part of the upgrade, the site is also undergoing a phosphorus reduction scheme, which will improve the quality of effluent released into the river following treatment.
Mark Ruinet, Senior Project Manager at Thames Water said: “As custodians of important infrastructure, we need to ensure our sites are resilient to the pressures of climate change and population growth so we can continue to provide reliable services to our customers. Our upgrades at Banbury sewage treatment works, come as part of our commitment to help protect customers and the health of the rivers and waterways.
“We believe all discharges are unacceptable and we are committed to seeing healthy and thriving waterways, however we can’t do it alone. While we play an important role in this, we aren’t the sole custodians of river health. We need everyone working together to help our waterways thrive.”
Banbury’s MP Sean Woodcock recently joined Cropredy Women’s Institute to tour the facility and learn about the upgrades and the process of treating waste.
Mr Woodcock said: “I was pleased to hear from Thames Water about the steps they are taking to address pollution in the River Cherwell and local waterways. I hope that these steps will help to clean up the River Cherwell and local rivers for good.”
Sue Smith, President of Cropredy Women’s Institute, said: “We all came away with a greater understanding of the process and the challenges that have to be overcome. With our newly gained knowledge and understanding we are inspired to continue our citizen science work and to encourage our communities to think carefully about their use of water and the sewage system.”
Thames Water has plans to improve 250 of its wastewater sites across the country, including nearby sites at Bloxham, Hanwell and Greatworth.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
