Severn Trent to trial ozone disinfection as part of Ludlow bathing river upgrade

Severn Trent is to trial ozone disinfection as part of work starting next month to improve a stretch of the River Teme in Ludlow towards bathing standard.

The work, part of a £78m Green Recovery project, will include a UK first trial of ozone disinfection at the Ludlow Sewage Treatment Works, the installation of new storm and final settlement tanks, and upgrades to two pumping stations and major waste pipes.

Wilfred Denga, Severn Trent's lead on bathing rivers, said: “We hope the ozone technology we are going to trial will help shape the future of wastewater treatment across the industry, and the UK more broadly, as it may also eliminate pharmaceuticals and personal care products that can be found in wastewater.”

Ludlow is the constituency of Environmental Audit Committee chair Philip Dunne MP.

• Investment banker Richard Taylor will take up non-executive director posts on the boards of Severn Trent PLC and operating company Severn Trent Water from 1 April. He is currently chair of Greenhill & Co International.