A MASSIVE sewage treatment project designed to process waste from the equivalent of almost half a million people in East Durham should become fully operational later this year.

The multi-million Northumbrian Water scheme consists of two projects, one at Horden and the other at Seaham, which will clean up a coastline ravaged by almost two centuries of coalmining.

The major investment has seen outfall pipes that previously pumped raw sewage into the sea intercepted and massive pumping stations built.

The £38.5m project at Horden and the £27.5m scheme at Seaham also include mile-long outfall pipes buried under the sea bed.

The schemes are designed to cope with domestic waste from 100,000 people in east Durham, plus industrial waste equivalent to more than 300,000 people.

Easington MP John Cummings and Sir Fred Holliday, chairman of Northumbrian Water, were briefed on progress when they toured the two sites yesterday.

Mr Cummings said: "This work is totally necessary and it's good to see the water authority finally recognising it.

"This has been on the books for the last 15 years and it's a pleasure to see it finally coming to fruition.

"The damage caused in the past is not irreversible and we have already begun to see the difference since the closure of the collieries."

Work on primary treatment works has recently finished while construction of secondary works to increase the level of treatment, which will be completed before the end of the year, is well under way.

Some 100,000 people in Easington, Peterlee, Horden, Seaham, Murton and surrounding villages will be served by the new works.

Part of the multi agency long-term clean-up project, Turning the Tide, the new treatment works will also recycle some sewage, making pellets to provide cheap energy.

Sir Fred Holliday said: "A new bathing water directive put the legislative screws on us and we have responded to that with this massive programme.

"Once these works are fully up and running they should improve the water quality by at least 95 per cent.

"In other words, if you held up a glass of treated water today it would look murky, but the new treatment would mean it would look like normal tap water.