WORK is under way to improve drinking water for thousands of customers in South-West Durham and parts of Wearside.

Northumbrian Water started its £730m improvement scheme in 2000, and plans to have it completed by 2005.

In the latest stage, the company is investing £28m of that money in a new water treatment works at Wearhead.

The new works replaces two sites at Wearhead and Tunstall Reservoir, which are coming to the end of their working lives.

The construction of the new site is expected to create an economic mini-boom for Weardale over the next two years, regarded as some good news following the closure of its biggest employer, Lafarge's Blue Circle cement works, last year.

Alistair Baker, from Northumbrian Water, said: "At the height of construction there will be around 200 people working on the site, with the majority, wherever possible, recruited locally. Work is expected to take around two years to complete.

"We also expect to create a variety of training opportunities, including dry-stone walling, stone masonry and habitat creation."

He added: "This new treatment works is proof of Northumbrian Water's commitment to the dale. When it is completed, workers from the two existing treatment works will be given the option to transfer to the new site.

"The new treatment works will ensure that water supplied to customers in the Wear Valley and Sunderland will continue to be of excellent quality and meets the new EU Drinking Water Directive, due to come into force later this year."

The new site will boast a staff of 12 full-time workers, a far cry from the 140 employed at Blue Circle, but Northumbrian Water also plans to invest more than £10,000 in projects that will benefit the wider community through the County Durham Community Foundation.

It is also a major sponsor of The Northern Echo's Chance for Life campaign.

As well as investing in water improvements in Weardale, Northumbrian Water is also investing in improving and protecting the environment, focusing on improvements to the region's rivers, estuaries and coastal bathing water.

Due to the nature of the area where the new treatment works is being built - it is regarded as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - Northumbrian Water had to go through a consultation process, involving meetings with a variety of agencies.

These included talks with Wear Valley District Council, Durham County Council, the Countryside Agency, English Nature, The Environment Agency, and a number of local interest groups.

The works have been designed to blend into the surrounding landscape, having the appearance of an Upper Weardale farmstead, constructed from natural stone, slate and timber.

Two groups of L-shaped buildings house the water and sludge treatment processes, with an emergency water holding tank and underground storage reservoir, disguised as a grassy mound.

Mr Baker added: "The new site at Wearhead was selected from 32 possible locations, because the land is already being used for a water treatment operations.

"It also minimises the need to pump water, reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions."

He added: "Once completed the old works will be demolished and replaced with a wetland nature reserve to encourage wildlife, especially the local population of endangered water voles, currently found at Burnhope Burn.

"We also plan to install new footpaths, suitable for wheelchairs, along the banks of Burnhope Reservoir, and plant around 16,000 trees."

Read more about the Working For A Future campaign here.