Severn Trent reveals its huge 20-metre deep storm overflow tank in Leamington

The water company says the “incredible feat of engineering” will help protect Leamington residents from future flooding and reduce harm to the rivers running through the town.

The underground tank, sited in Station Approach will be able to hold 800 cubic metres (175,975 gallons) of water and will reduce spills by ten Olympic size swimming pools of water – the equivalent of 80,000 bathtubs.

The tank has automatic controls that can hold water back during severe weather events and return it back to Severn Trent treatment works when rainfall has subsided.

State-of-the-art tunnel boring machines will be used for the project’s second phase.

The project is part of a wider £78 million bathing rivers investment across Warwickshire and Shropshire to improve river health and help move two stretches on the rivers Leam and the Teme towards bathing quality by 2025 – paving the way for improvements to more rivers in the future.