A WINCHESTER water treatment plant has received a £9m refurbishment.

The Morestead Road Wastewater Treatment Works has been upgraded by Southern Water after they worked to improve the quality of the treated wastewater returned to the environment.

The project, which began in June 2012, was carried out by 4Delivery. The company will remain on site for at least another month while it carries out some extra improvements.

Project Manager, Jon Kenrick, said: “Morestead Road serves a population of more than 36,000 people and this significant investment will help ensure we continue to cater for them while also meeting increasingly tough environmental standards.”

Some of the works included the construction of three aeration lanes which pump oxygen into the wastewater to help the waste-digesting bacteria to thrive.

New pumps, tanks and treatment systems have been put in, in accordance with the Environment Agency standards, and a new ferric dosing plant has also been installed to remove phosphate. The ferric reacts with the phosphate to create a solid material that can be easily removed in the wastewater treatment process.

Phosphate increases the nutrient content of the water and may lead to algal blooms which can affect the balance of ecosystems. It is present in wastewater from a variety of sources including washing powders.