A WATER treatment works, which aims to vastly improve bathing water quality, has been officially opened.

The £6m scheme at Hinderwell, on the North York Moors, will treat waste water from the nearby villages of Staithes, Cowbar, Dalehouse, Runswick Bay, Ellerby and Port Mulgrave, serving a population of 3,300 people.

Yorkshire Water chairman John Napier was joined by Sir Martin Doughty, chairman of English Nature, to celebrate the completion of the work.

Part of Yorkshire Water's £120m Coast Care project, the Hinderwell site has been installed with ultra-violet disinfection, a process which ensures that 99.9 per cent of bacteria is removed from the treated waste water before it is pumped out to sea.

Mr Napier said: "Apart from the delivery of improved waste water services and safer bathing, one of the major tasks we had when designing the works at Hinderwell was to ensure it blended into the natural countryside that surrounds it.

"Because of Sir Martin's long-standing commitment and involvement with the National Park movement, we are delighted he agreed to carry out the official opening."