A £10 MILLION scheme to upgrade a water treatment plant at Slaidburn is under way by United Utilities.

The plant treats water from Stocks Reservoir in the Trough of Bowland, which supplies 200,000 homes in the Ribble Valley, Blackburn, Preston, Blackpool and the Fylde.

It is to be fitted with a new treatment process that uses fine sand to remove impurities from water more efficiently than traditional treatment methods.

United Utilities project manager Hugh Connor said: "Water quality standards are set to get even stricter and this huge investment programme will ensure that the Lancashire water supply is one of the best in the world."

The work, part of a £3billion United Utilities investment programme across the North West, is expected to be completed by next August.