Longframlington

Hello Longframlington

Thank you to everyone who attended our event.

 

We're working hard with partners and local people in their communities, we are restoring and regenerating our natural environment, creating an even better place to live and work through our local actions.

Here are some key projects:

We're investing £950,000 in Longframlington's water network to provide more reliable supplies for customers and help reduce the repeated bursts we've seen in the area.

  • Our team is carrying out complex directional drilling work under a road closure, installing a new water main.
  • This has involved drilling 13m below a bridge and river before bringing the pipe back up the bank on the other side. Older sections of pipe are being replaced with new, durable materials designed to better withstand pressure and reduce disruption caused by unplanned repairs.
  • The new 4.3km water main will boost supplies for customers in the area, providing a more resilient network for the future.

We’re investing £23m in Felton and Longframlington to improve water quality in the River Coquet and its tributaries.

  • This long-term project will reduce the frequency of storm overflow (SO) discharges entering local watercourses, helping to improve water quality while creating a more reliable wastewater network for the local community.
  • The works are spilt into two distinct area to address three SOs identified as spilling.
    • New Hall Farm SO, Longframlington
    • Main St, Felton
    • STW SO, Felton
  • The Longframlington SO has a budget of circa £6m and will be complete by March 2028.
  • Our work will involve surface water separation from highways conveyed to local watercourses via new pipework and swale. This is supported by nature-based solutions, such as tree pits and rain gardens where appropriate.
  • Our storm overflow reduction plan will see us reducing spill frequencies to no more than 10 per year by 2050.
  • Storm overflows are an important part of our wastewater network because they protect customers’ homes and the environment. They operate automatically as a relief system during heavy rain, storm conditions, or if the sewers are overwhelmed because of more water or blockages and reduce the risk of flooding.
  • Our digital interactive map shows up-to-date storm overflow information across the region.
  • To stay up to date with the progress of our project, visit our community hub.

The River Coquet is part of the Northumberland Rivers Catchment Partnership, hosted by the Northumberland Rivers Trust.

  • We are a partner and provide support through funding and resources to help develop plans and strategies for improving the rivers and other water environments.
  • In 2025, we started investigations into river water quality in the River Coquet catchment, looking at the impact of our sewage treatment works at Rothbury, Snitter & Thropton, Shilbottle, Longhorsley and Felton.
  • We have been gathering data to help understand the sources of pollution into the catchment from all sectors, which will help us and our catchment partners develop interventions for improving ecological status.

If you live in Longframlington, your water is supplied by Fontburn Water Treatment Works (WTW), with a blend from Warkworth WTW.

  • Your water is sourced from Fontburn reservoir.
  • In 2022, Fontburn WTW also received significant investment to improve the flow of water around the facility including flow metering, which helps us to use water more efficiently, avoiding overuse and underuse. It helps in identifying issues like leaks or inefficiencies in the system that could lead to wastage.
  • We are currently working on a Resilience project at Fontburn reservoir to increase our capacity to draw down water quickly in an emergency, with the installation of a syphon, which would take the water to the River Font.

If you live in Longframlington or Felton, your wastewater is treated at the Felton Sewage Treatment Works (STW).

  • This facility has recently undergone a significant upgrade as part of a £5.6m investment project, completed in 2025. We invested in the resilience of our wastewater treatment system, with improvements to enhance the efficiency of sewage treatment, protect water quality in the River Coquet, and ensure the STW continues to meet the needs of a growing population.

We’re investing c.£4.5bn in total in the region. This is the largest investment programme in the last 30 years.

  • £1.7bn will be invested to stop storm overflow spills and improve rivers, coasts and waterways across the North East.
  • £8m will be spent on improving drinking water quality. c.£7.5m extra to reduce leakage.
  • We’ll protect our network from power failures and flooding by investing £127m in adapting for climate change.
  • We will invest £50m to repair and replace the aging network of water pipes, including lead pipes.
  • Over £20m invested in Smart Sewers – A UK‑first smart sewer network which uses AI and sensors to move wastewater in real time, drastically reducing the need for overflows during wet weather.

We’re the first and only UK water company to use 100% of sewage sludge, turning it into green gas (biogas) that we inject into the grid every year, which is enough to heat 8,000 homes.

  • The leftover material is used as fertiliser so there is no waste in the process. It’s a sustainable way to reuse waste and an important step on our journey to net zero.
  • Also, at our wastewater treatment plant, Bran Sands, we’re developing a world-first project named the Green Machine, which will see poo turned into fuel for aircrafts! This £6.5m project will use algae to extract nitrogen and phosphorous from wastewater, recover it, and then convert it into sustainable fuels.

Bluespaces are water environments accessible to customers via road, footpath, bridleway, other public rights of way, or at a country park or beach.

  • We made a pledge to improve 500km of Bluespaces for our customers by 2030. So far, we are over halfway to reaching our goal and have big ambitions for delivering positively impactful projects where they are most needed.
  • Since its initiation in 2020, the Bluespaces partnership funding scheme has helped deliver over 6,000 volunteer days and engaged over 18,000 members of the public across 59 projects and 500 events. Our co-funding has helped plant nearly 20,000 new trees, created over 400 hectares of new wetland, and helped tackle eight different kinds of invasive non-native species (INNS), as well as enhancing access and recreational facilities for local communities. 
  • Please visit: Our Scheme for more information on our funding streams. 
  • If you have any ideas, get in touch by emailing: Bluespaces@nwl.co.uk

Through our Bluespaces scheme, Longdike Burn has recently had improvements made to 4.3km of water environment, through creating seven new wetlands and delivering footpath improvements.

  • The work was led by Northumberland Rivers Trust in partnership with Northumberland Zoo, Longhorsley Parish Council, The Skill Mill and WL Straughan and Sons. This project has delivered benefits for residents and visitors to Longhorsley and the surrounding villages by offering the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful stretch of a Northumberland stream, and for visitors to Northumberland Zoo to engage with the local water environment as part of their day out.

The Branch Out scheme supports the resilience of the natural environment across our operating and catchment areas.

  • It provides funding to communities, land managers, partner organisations, and individuals to deliver projects that enhance biodiversity, improve habitat connectivity, and strengthen the ecosystems that people and wildlife depend on.
  • For more information on eligibility and application, as well as the details of our three main funding streams, please go to our website at: Branch Out funds
  • Have a project in mind? Please speak to the Branch Out team at: Branchout@nwl.co.uk

Field to Tap funding is available for farmers and landowners, and covers a variety of infrastructure, field options, training and innovation to improve water quality.

  • To view some examples of our previous funding projects, please visit: Field to Tap
  • If you would like any further information or are interested in funding opportunities please email us: catchment@nwl.co.uk

Our purpose is to care for the essential needs of our communities and environment, now and for generations to come.

  • Sustainability is how we bring that purpose to life.
  • In July 2026, we released our Sustainability Report which brings together the progress we are making in the environment, the challenges we are tackling and the plans we are taking forward.
  • You can find the full report here and explore the Environment, Social and Governance sections for key facts, case studies and links to more detailed information.

The DWMP is our long-term plan for managing rainwater and wastewater. We are currently developing the plan for 2030-55, which we call DWMP28.

  • We have recently published our Strategic Context document, which sets out the key principles, challenges and goals that will guide the detailed plan we will publish in 2028. A shorter Customer Summary is also available on our website: DWMP2028.
  • For more information, visit: DWMP. If you have any questions or would like to contact the team, please email: DWMP@nwl.co.uk

Even after our planned big investments we still expect bills in the North East to be the lowest in England.

  • We know our communities are facing a cost-of-living crisis with bills going up. We are committed to helping those that need it most. If you or anyone you know is struggling to pay their bills, please talk to us.
  • There are lots of ways we can help: nwl.co.uk/bill-help

Spotted an issue? Let us know.

  • If you ever notice any issue such as a flood, leak, or pollution incident, get in touch with us at the following link: Report a problem  
  • Visit: Check your area to find out more about leaks, water disruptions, and your water quality reports in your area.

Use our usage calculator to estimate how much your bill would be if you switched to a meter.

Wet wipes are the biggest cause of blockages and sewer flooding.

  • In November 2025, the UK Government signed into law a ban on the sale of plastic wet wipes, marking a major step in our Bin the Wipe campaign.
  • You can make a big difference by doing one simple thing, instead of flushing it down the loo, bin the wipe.

We think it’s important to give back to make a positive impact in our local communities.

  • All our team are encouraged to volunteer to support community groups and charities through our Just an Hour scheme.
  • This initiative gets our teams out in the communities we serve, supporting great causes. People choose causes that resonate with them personally - for at least 15 hours a year.
  • Want to know more? Please see: Just an Hour: case studies or email: justanhour@nwl.co.uk to find out how we can support your organisation.

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