THE third phase of a £5m scheme to improve Saltburn’s bathing water quality is due to start next month.

The two-and-a-half-month period of work, which will begin on Monday, August 10, involves transferring waste water from Dunsdale sewage treatment works to Marske sewage treatment works, where it will be treated with ultra violet light before being discharged to sea through an existing long sea outfall.

Waste water which is currently treated at Dunsdale is discharged into Skelton Beck.

More than 110m of new sewer pipe will be installed along a section of Redcar Road, and a new surface water drainage gully constructed.

The Dunsdale site will be decommissioned in October, once the waste water is being treated at Marske.

Steve Gray, Northumbrian Water’s project manager, said: “The Saltburn bathing water scheme will significantly reduce the frequency and volume of spills to water courses from the sewer network, during times of heavy rainfall, and will make an improvement to the quality of water in local streams and rivers and also to sea water quality.

“We apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused by the work.”

During the work, Redcar Road, near Dunsdale Farm, will be closed from August 17-30, with traffic diverted along the A173 and the A174.

Arriva and Local Link buses won’t serve Dunsdale or Yearby, but Northumbrian Water is providing a free shuttle bus to transfer passengers from Dunsdale and Yearby to Kirkleatham, where they can join the diverted services.

Details will be displayed at existing bus stops in Dunsdale and Yearby, at www.connectteesvalley.com or from Traveline on 0871 200 22 33.

As part of the overall scheme, an underground, 6,000 cubic metre storm water storage tank is being built at Guisborough, while work to increase the pumping capacity at Tocketts Bridge pumping station, so more storm water can be transferred from Guisborough to Marske when it rains, will be finished next month.

The scheme is vital as there are many sources of pollution which impact on Saltburn’s bathing water quality, including pollution in Skelton Beck, Saltburn Gill and Pit Hills Stell from cattle, sheep and pig farming, rainfall run-off and pollution from private sewage treatment works.

Figures last year showed that 31 out of 34 North-east beaches, including Saltburn, met the European water quality standard.

To follow the scheme’s progress, visit nwl.co.uk \Dunsdale