Severn Trent says its £6m Monkhouse plant near Shrewsbury is the UK’s first full-scale sewage treatment plant using MABR technology to target ammonia. The firm says treated water can be returned to the system at almost river quality.
Severn Trent said sewage spills into its waterways fell by 41% in 2025, mainly attributing the decline to its wider £2bn investment, which included Monkhouse, and dry weather in Shropshire. The company’s river rangers manager Gareth Mead said the added capacity would help process more sewage during rainfall and accommodate local growth.
Campaign group Up Sewage Creek said Severn Trent had not been transparent about its work and costs. Member Sarah Kirby said the group had asked questions to assess the project’s effectiveness and value for money, and called for agencies to work together on a catchment-based approach. Mead acknowledged the firm could do more and said investment would continue.
