Rivers, ponds and canals will benefit from the latest work to tackle pollution caused by road run-off.
Projects led by National Highways are using innovative techniques to help separate toxic materials from entering water courses, helping to improve drainage, water quality and reinvigorate nature.
Earlier this year, National Highways identified parts of the Lancaster Canal as a pollution risk due to sediment and sediment-bound pollutants from road runoff near the M6.
The site was pinpointed after site specific investigations identified a high risk of pollution and that work to improve water quality would deliver significant environmental benefits, including creating better habitats for plants and wildlife.
Working with the Canal & River Trust, vortex separators were installed at two priority outfalls to treat highway runoff before it entered the canal. Vortex separators work in bodies of still water to remove sediment and toxins.
These delivered improved water quality along the canal, with National Highways planning future work on other stretches of the canal to make further improvements.
Director of Environmental Sustainability at National Highways Steve Elderkin said:
“It’s fantastic to see these projects coming to fruition after a period of careful planning to make sure we had identified the right sites to work on and had tailor-made solutions to put fixes in place, at pace.
“We know how important water quality is and make we remain committed to addressing the high-priority outfalls and soakaways.”
(Picture: National Highways)
