New £200,000 storm pump for East Worthing

Capable of pumping 2,500 litres of water every second, the ten-ton pump was delivered to the site and lowered down into the wet well, where wastewater flows enter the treatment works, 
on Thursday.

A Southern Water spokesman said: “The pump will be used as a last resort during storm conditions, to protect homes and businesses from wastewater flooding.

“During heavy rain, flows entering the site can quickly double to more than 2,000 litres per second, threatening to overwhelm the site and cause wastewater to back up in the sewers. The pump will help reduce the risk of this happening by diverting this stormwater, wastewater heavily diluted by rainwater, to sea – once it has passed through screens to remove solids, as per the site’s permit with the Environment Agency. The installation, by contractor BTU, is part of Southern Water’s ongoing £12million investment programme at the site to improve its resilience – especially in wet weather.”

Southern Water’s East Worthing wastewater treatment works serves a population of more than 130,000 people in and around Worthing, and treats more than 30-million litres of wastewater every day on average – with the amount rising to more than 71 million litres during wet weather.