PLANS for a £25m water treatment works in the North-East have been unveiled.
The works, the first to be built in the region for a decade, will serve 200,000 Northumbrian Water customers in Sunderland, Seaham, Peterlee and Wear Valley.
It will treat 35 million litres of water a day and will replace two old works - at Tunstall, near Wolsingham, and at Wearhead.
The plant, next to the Burnhope reservoir in Weardale, is being built in an area of outstanding natural beauty and it has been designed to blend in with the landscape.
A third of it will be underground and local stone, slate and timber is being used in the construction of buildings.
Once the new works is completed, the old works will be demolished and a wetland nature reserve will be created, helping safeguard the future of endangered species like water voles.
About 16,000 native trees, important in protecting black grouse, will be also be planted.
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