Local MP, Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith KCB CBE, visited the Gargrave Wastewater Treatment Works on Thursday, 3 April, to review the significant £880k investment aimed at improving the facility's capacity to manage excess wastewater during heavy rainfall. The project at Gargrave includes the installation of a new 93m³ storm storage tank, which will reduce discharges to the River Aire by over 70%.
This investment is part of a broader £180 million investment announced in 2023 to improve over 120 storm overflows, including sites across the Skipton and Ripon constituency.
During his visit, Julian toured the site and met with representatives from Yorkshire Water. The visit provided an opportunity to learn more about the ongoing improvements and the impact they will have on the local community and environment.
Commenting after his visit, Julian said, "The investment at Gargrave Wastewater Treatment Works is a crucial step towards improving our infrastructure and protecting our environment. I am pleased to see Yorkshire Water's commitment to reducing storm overflow discharges across North Yorkshire, with £53 million worth of investment specifically for Skipton and Ripon over the next 5 years.”
In addition to the investment at Gargrave, Yorkshire Water recently announced a £40m redress package following an investigation by Ofwat into its wastewater network and treatment processes. This package includes a £36.6m investment from 2025-30 to further reduce storm overflow discharges and £3.4m support to the Great Yorkshire Rivers Partnership to improve water quality and biodiversity.