A new filter system has been set up to clean drain water so it can go straight back into rivers

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Marsh plants and straw are at the heart of a new green filtration system for dealing with the county's filthy drain water. All around Leicestershire there are tanks that collect dirty water from roadside gulleys after spills such as petrol and oil following traffic incidents.

In the past, HGVs have driven round collecting the contents of these tanks and transported them out of the county for filtering and recycling. But now Leicestershire County Council has constructed a green new method that will save money and reduce emissions.

The water, which has come off major roads and is mixed with mud, gravel, oil and other things, is being collected by HGVs as is was before but it is now being taken to the highways depot in Croft, just south of Leicester. At Croft there are some new artificially created salt marshes that are being used to clean oils, diesel and chemicals out of the water so that it can be put straight back into the local rivers.

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Before the water enters the marshes, it is put through a filter made of straw to get out the heavier solids. Those solids that are recovered are then transported to the West Midlands where some of it will be recycled and used in the building industry.

Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for the environment and the green agenda, said: “We have an ambitious green agenda. Putting in place innovative schemes such as the living water initiative at Croft is one example of the huge steps we are taking towards reducing the environmental impact we have as a council.

“Helping to replenish the water cycle is incredibly important, not only for Leicestershire’s wildlife but also our rivers, streams and the ecosystems that live within them. To take something which was once waste and repurpose it and make it beneficial for the environment is a huge achievement.”