A new programme which will quicken the reduction of spills from storm overflows across the North West has been announced by United Utilities.

A total of 500 engineers and data scientists will deliver the programme, which will impact a further 700 sites over the region.

The programme will focus on:

• Creating additional storage capacity for storm water collection to capture more sewage during high rainfall to substantially cut spills

• Enlarging wastewater treatment works with modular units to reduce spill frequency in rural areas

• Tackling ground water from entering pipes by preventing water entering sewers and overwhelming treatment works

• Removing surface water from the sewerage network to ensure it transports only sewage and not rainwater

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• Creating nature-based solutions such as reed beds and swales to improve filtration and treatment

• Using AI and predictive analytics to optimise operations

Louise Beardmore, Chief Executive of United Utilities, said: "We have proposed an ambitious business plan of over £13 billion of investment to improve services for customers, communities and the environment over the next 5 years.

"This will deliver better quality drinking water, reduce leakage and improve the quality of the region's rivers. The plan will see us tackle over 440 of the biggest storm overflows across the region, enabling us to reduce spills and improve over 500km of rivers and waterways.

"Customers and regulators have made it clear that they want us to go as fast as we can, and we have been working in the background sourcing ideas and solutions.

"We have been accessing some of the best innovation from across the world to see what more we can do, and that’s why we're able to commit today to a further acceleration that will see us making interventions at an additional 700 sites across the North West."

She added: "Together with our business plan, today's announcement will see us making improvements at over 1,100 sites by 2030 and spending a total of £500 million on accelerated wastewater service improvements."