Communities in Bath are set to benefit from new jobs, economic growth, and improved water quality on the River Avon with the expansion of the Saltford Water Recycling Plant.
After years of failure, our water infrastructure is crumbling, and public anger is growing over leaking pipes and sewage spills. We haven’t built a new reservoir in over 30 years, and by 2050, demand will exceed supply.
Visiting the site today (March 10), Water Minister Emma Hardy highlighted the project as a prime example of how £104 billion in private sector investment—the largest since privatisation—is driving forward major water infrastructure nationwide, including sewage pipes, treatment works, and nine reservoirs.
This builds on the government’s Plan for Change, which will support the infrastructure Britain needs to boost growth, construct 1.5 million new homes, and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.
Water Minister Emma Hardy said:
“This new expansion and major investment will create jobs, unlock new homes and ensure Bath thrives for generations to come through the government’s Plan for Change.
“We’ve been clear that we must go further and faster to fix our water infrastructure, which is why £104 billion of private-sector investment is being spent on upgrading the water sector.
“This funding will develop infrastructure nationwide, unlocking 1.5 million new homes, 150 major projects, and powering industries like gigafactories and data centres.”
This comes as the Water Minister and Environment Secretary travel to iconic water sites such as Windermere, the River Wye, the Havant Thicket Reservoir and others to set out how a wave of new water infrastructure will underpin the building of new homes, create jobs and turbocharge local economies.
Significant reforms are already reshaping the water sector, with bold action driving real change. The government has put an end to water companies prioritising unjustified bonuses and shareholder payouts through our Water Act, rather than investing in our crumbling water infrastructure.
Money earmarked for investment will be ringfenced so it can only be spent on infrastructure upgrades, not paying bonuses or shareholder payouts.
