Category: Water, Flooding, Drainage and Sewerage

Information and pictures for water, drainage and sewerage in Warminster.

Wessex Water Environment Fund

Friday 20th March 2026

Wiltshire & Swindon Community Foundation is pleased to be working in partnership with the YTL Wessex Foundation to offer grants for environmental projects.  The Wessex Water Environment Fund supports charitable and community activities that improve local biodiversity or have a positive impact on the local environment for local people.

Grants: up to £2,000

Opening for applications: 17th March 2026

Closing date:  18th May 2026

Decisions: by early July 2026

Enquiries: applications@wiltshirecf.org.uk or (01380) 738985

Some information has been shared below but for full details and eligibility criteria, please follow this link: Wessex Water Environment Fund 2026

Organisations can apply for a grant if they are based and working in an area of Wiltshire that is served by Wessex Water and are either a:

  • voluntary or community group with charitable aims
  • registered charity
  • not-for-profit or Community interest Company (see full eligibility criteria for more guidance)
  • town or parish council (project must have community benefit)
  • school (project must have community benefit)

Please note: This programme is only open to organisations that have an annual income of less than £500,000.It is targeted at organisations where a small amount of money can make a significant difference so we will consider your access to other sources of funding and prioritise where the grants can make the biggest impact.

Applications must demonstrate one or more of the following outcomes:

  • Involving communities in environmental activities that benefit their local area
  • Restoring, maintaining or enhancing the local natural environment
  • Engaging people in supporting the local natural environment

Priorities for this programme are:

  • Reducing water use
  • Improving environmental sustainability in the local area*
  • Improving local biodiversity

Karen Hobbs
Grants Manager

Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation
Sandcliff House
21 Northgate Street
Devizes SN10 1JT

Tel: 01380 738985

www.wiltshirecf.org.uk

Use Local Insight: WSCF’s data platform for Wiltshire and Swindon to explore data for your local area.

Did You Know That Development In One Part Of Warminster Can Cause Severe Flooding Elsewhere In The Town (Possibly Near You?)

Friday 20th February 2026

From the Facebook page of EBBRAG:

Photo: Flooding at Boreham.

Did you know that development in one part of Warminster can cause severe flooding issues elsewhere in the town (possibly near you?)

Developers are only required to consider potential flooding issues at the site they are developing. Because of the geography of Warminster, the additional water generated by extra homes actually all drains towards and raises the phosphate levels of our River Wylye, a unique, internationally recognised chalk stream and this additional water also causes significant flooding issues along the way.

This isn’t at all surprising when you consider that National Statistics estimate that all these new homes would generate in the region of over 700,000 extra litres of waste water per day.

We are only required to add 90 new homes to Warminster in the next 10 years+, why would we risk our local environment by piling in so many more new large scale developments? We need to remove site selection from the draft Neighbourhood Plan now!

Warminster needs YOU to find a voice.

As a resident of Warminster, you will already be aware of the huge West Warminster Urban Extension/Jubilee Gardens where 1000 new homes are currently being built, with another 500 due by 2042. Did you also know that a further approximately 700+ houses are at the planning stage?

  • Cley Hill View, 227 homes already approved and being advertised.
  • Ashley Coombe, 77 homes; planning permission applied for.
  • Westbury Road, 205 homes; rejected once in 2025, outline planning applied for again.
  • Home Farm, 135 homes; planning application expected imminently (the Neighbourhood Plan suggests 90 but the developer Bellway Homes would like 135).
  • Grovelands, 68 homes; building already started.

Are these homes ALL really needed?

Are they being planned in a responsible and sustainable way?

They are all eating up green areas, rather than using brown field sites.

What impact will these developments have on the lives of people already living in our town?

Despite what the Town Council would have us believe, a Neighbourhood Plan does not offer Warminster protection against these speculative development bids.

The whole premise of naming a potential site in the Neighbourhood Plan is to offer legal protection for the rest of Warminster for up to five years. Consider this example – Melksham Parish Council had an adopted Neighbourhood Plan, fully supported by local residents which excluded a site Snarlton Farm from designated building. On appeal, the developer has now gone to The Secretary of State for Housing, taking the decision right out of local hands.

And consider this – by the time the current draft Neighbourhood Plan is finalised, it is likely that all of the developments listed above will already have gone through the planning process and have been approved, not just the one they have named.

What can you do?

  • Register on the EBBRAG website. Our contact form is here: https://www.ebbrag.com/contact/
  • Make it known to our Town Council that you do not support any more large scale developments, in the absence of improved infrastructure and local services. You can email the council here: admin@warminster-tc.gov

How?

Flood Warning: Warminster To Wilton

Wednesday 11th February 2026

A flood warning has been issued by the Environment Agency.

Flood warning in force: Lower Wylye from Warminster to Wilton

Flooding is expected for: Heytesbury, Suffers Bridge, Boyton, Codford St Peter, Wylye, Great Wishford and Wilton.

High river levels are expected to cause flooding today.

Flooding is expected on 11 February 2026. River levels are expected to cause flooding.

River levels continue to rise due to the previous days of rain and high groundwater levels. The weather forecast looks unsettled and further rainfall is forecast over the next few days. River levels are forecast to continue to rise.

We are closely monitoring the rainfall and the river levels. Start acting on your flood plan if you have one and activate any flood protection products you may have.

We are closely monitoring the situation.

Take care and avoid walking, cycling or driving through flood water.

This message will be updated by 1:00PM on 12 February 2026 or as the situation changes.

Act now

You should: go to Check for flooding to see a map of the area and monitor up-to-date local flood information, and act on your personal flood plan if you have one. Follow the guidance in what to do before or during a flood. You can also read more about what flood warnings are.

Stay up to date. To get the latest flood information, you can: go to Check for flooding. Monitor local weather, news and travel updates. call Floodline on 0345 988 1188, using quick dial code 166057

Warning Of Ground Water Flooding For The Wylye Valley At Warminster

Wednesday 11th February 2026

From the Facebook page of Bill Parks, Cllr Warminster North and Rural:

Currently the Environment Agency – South and South West has a flood warning for groundwater flooding for the Wylye Valley at Warminster.

Please check the flood warnings and if your property is at risk, take steps now to protect yourselves and your property.

Full details https://orlo.uk/vDEgY

Flooding information https://orlo.uk/5lP07

Sign up for flood warnings https://orlo.uk/acWCc

www.facebook.com/BillParksWNR

An Ongoing Review Of Flood Behaviour Within The River Wylye Catchment Area Around Boreham And Bishopstrow

Friday 6th February 2026

A letter from the Boreham & Bishopstrow Flood Group to Wessex Water Planning/Developer Services Team:

Dear Wessex Water Planning / Developer Services Team,

I am writing on behalf of the Boreham & Bishopstrow Flood Group in relation to ongoing review of flood behaviour within the River Wylye catchment around Boreham and Bishopstrow.

We are currently engaging with the Environment Agency regarding cumulative flood behaviour.

Following a number of recent flood events, the group is seeking to better understand potential cumulative drivers affecting river loading and downstream flood risk. As part of this work, we are reviewing whether wastewater infrastructure and discharge patterns may contribute to baseline flows within the catchment.

We would therefore be grateful if you could provide general clarification on the following points:

  • Whether wastewater networks or treatment works serving the Boreham / River Wylye catchment operate under known hydraulic constraints;
  • Whether surcharge conditions or storm overflow activation occur during peak rainfall or flow events;
  • Whether additional development within this catchment would typically require reinforcement or capacity assessment of existing wastewater infrastructure.

This enquiry is intended to support a catchment-level understanding of system-wide pressures rather than assessment of any individual site.

We appreciate that detailed responses may depend on specific proposals, but any general guidance or direction to relevant published information would be extremely helpful.

Many thanks for your time and assistance.

Kind regards,

Jeremy Kelton
On behalf of the Boreham & Bishopstrow Flood Group.

Concerns About The Activities At Knoll Farm

Wednesday 8th October 2025

Kate Moore has posted on Facebook:

Planning Application: PL/2025/o7191

Site Address

Knoll Farm, Norton Ferris, Warminster, BA12 7FG

Proposal
Change of use of agricultural land and building to storage (class B8), general industrial use (class B2) and light industrial use (Class E (g) (iii), including excavation works, on-site bund, parking, landscaping and external storage.

Kate Moore writes:

Please comment on this application before 28th October. And tell others to do so all along the Wylye Valley.

it is important to state whether you object or support the application at the outset.

It is the very untidy farm area on the left as you go south to Mere between Maiden Bradley and Norton Ferris.

– It threatens the River Wylye which rises just on the edge of the site

– It will further increasing traffic on our beleaguered B3092!

– Kilmington are concerned that it will impact their drainage systems.

Neighbours / consultees say:

“Westcorn Enviro Waste Ltd has been operating unlawfully from this site, a former pig farm, since 2019 without planning permission and is now seeking retrospective approval to continue, and increase, its activities. The business involves the collection, transportation, and recycling of animal by-products (bone, meat, carcasses, fallen stock etc.).

I am concerned the existing activities at Knoll Farm present a number of environmental risks, arising from the following:

Pollution risks to the Wylye: The site, nearby road and adjacent land is prone to serious surface water flooding. Recent works on site appear to include drainage pipes laid to direct water away to ditches which lead to the River Wylye. There does not appear to be any sump or wastewater disposal system, leaving no provision to prevent wash-down water from lorries — containing cleaning chemicals and animal by-products — from flowing into the ditch.

Significant increase in HGV traffic: These activities inevitably mean a marked rise in the number of large lorries using the B3092 and surrounding lanes, which are already unsuitable for sustained heavy vehicle traffic. This raises safety concerns for residents and road users, alongside the added pressure on local infrastructure.

Furthermore, the planning application submission is poorly detailed and lacks any technical justification of the impacts that will (and are already) resulting from activities carried out at this site. A drainage assessment should be provided as well as an ecological survey (currently not part of the submission) to demonstrate the impact to flood risk, local drainage issues and wider ecology. An assessment should also be required to properly quantify and address the impacts of increased lorry traffic on the B3092 and surrounding roads, alongside associated noise and air quality considerations.”

development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0iQ300000GQhRVIA1/pl202507191

Work By Wessex Water At Weymouth Street, Warminster, Nearing Completion

Tuesday 19th August 2025

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 Wessex Water:

𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡

• Year-long project in town centre drawing to a close with full reopening of road

• £2 million investment builds on environmental improvements in Wiltshire

A key £2 million project to help protect Warminster from the impact of potential pollution is nearing completion, fully reopening an important route through the historic Wiltshire market town.

Traffic resumed travel in both directions on Weymouth Street, just to the south of the town centre, on Sunday evening (17th August) following the lifting of the northbound closure that had been in place while crucial upgrades to the sewer network were carried out within a public car park.

The project, which got under way last August, saw an underground storage tank built to hold more than 400,000 litres of excess water from sewers during heavy storms, to help improve the quality of water in the Were river running through the town.

Work on the scheme was extended by three months, following discussions between Wiltshire Council, Warminster Town Council and Wessex Water, after problems caused by groundwater filling up the shaft for the tank delayed the construction team earlier this year while it was pumped away and a solution was found.

The tank will now play a crucial role in reducing occasions when heavy rain overwhelms the town’s sewer system and causes nearby storm overflows to operate automatically to protect properties from flooding.

It will retain the increased water volume from the combined sewer system – a diluted mix of used water from homes and businesses as well as rainwater draining into the pipes – until storms subside before returning it to the system and onwards to a nearby water recycling centre for treatment.

Greg Andrews, Networks Project Manager for YTL Construction, which carried out the work on behalf of Wessex Water, said: “We’re delighted to have completed this important project in Warminster and be able to reopen Weymouth Street fully for local through traffic.

“This was a complex scheme in a sensitive location and our team have worked hard to get it completed as quickly as possible, despite the challenges they have encountered along the way.

“Clearly, the delays were frustrating, but we’d like to thank local customers and road users for their patience, co-operation and understanding while these were overcome, as well as Warminster Town Council and local Wiltshire Council members for their support throughout.

“Our team will remain on site to demobilise equipment, reopen the footpath and reinstate the car park over the next couple of weeks.

“This work was vital towards helping to protect the environment in Warminster and Wessex Water’s progressive push towards

preventing the automatic discharge of untreated water.’’

The Warminster project continues Wessex Water’s environmental protection investment throughout Wiltshire, with similar schemes totalling more than £4 million having been completed in Bradford on Avon and Chippenham in the last two years.

The company’s work to progressively and substantially reduce the discharge of untreated wastewater is also growing significantly over the coming years, with plans for 2025-30 outlining a £580 million investment – more than double the 2020-25 figure – to reduce the operation of storm overflows, introducing more nature-based solutions and promoting better rainwater management.

Come And Meet Wessex Water

Thursday 24th July 2025

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐱 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫

Wessex Water are back in Warminster Library on Monday 28th July 2025.

A spokesperson said: “Do you have a query about your water bill, how to save water and prevent blockages, or your water and sewerage services?

“Wessex Water will be holding a drop-in session at Warminster Library (Three Horseshoes Walk, Warminster BA12 9BT) on Monday 28th July 2025 to answer all of your water related questions. The drop-in will be run between 10am-12noon, then 1pm-2pm.”

To find out more: https://bit.ly/3LcoP8X

⏰: 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 2pm

📆: Monday 28th July

📌: Warminster Library, Three Horseshoes Walk, Warminster BA12 9BT

Councillors Visit To Wessex Water Construction Site At Weymouth Street, Warminster

Sunday 15th June 2025

Bill Parks (Warminster Town Councillor – Warminster North & Rural) writes:

𝐖𝐞𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐩𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞, 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

With the planned road closure of Weymouth Street over the coming days to progress construction of the storm water storage tank, I thought that I would arrange a site visit with Cllr Andrew Davis to view the extent of the works.

Wessex Water are investing of more than £1.8 million which will see an additional 407,000 litres of storage built underground within the existing car park at the northern end of Weymouth Street to help improve the quality of water in the River Were running through the town.

Having trained professionally as a civil engineer I was interested to learn more about the complexity of the problems – the size and depth of the shaft is impressive!

Photographs by Bill Parks and Andrew Davis.

Bill Parks – Cllr Warminster North and Rural

Warminster Aims For Wessex Water Watermark Town Status

Tuesday 10th June 2025

Press release from Warminster Town Council:

Warminster aims for Wessex Water Watermark Town status.

Warminster Town Council and Wessex Water are working with local community groups to achieve recognition of Warminster as a Watermark Town.

Watermark Town status is an award that recognises where shared environmental and social goals have been met, with an emphasis on the town’s water usage and what happens to rain and wastewater that ends up in drains and sewers.

Wessex Water has developed the initiative following trials in Chippenham and Bridport, both of which became Watermark Towns in 2024.

Two initial meetings have been held in Warminster, hosted by the town council. Amongst the top concerns were the need to take steps to reduce surface water flooding and to protect the delicate environmental balance of the local chalk streams and rivers.

Chalk streams are fed by underground aquifers, which means the water is naturally filtered and clear. These very rare geological feature are very precious. Only 200 chalk rivers are known globally, 170 of which are found in the UK in southern and eastern England.

The group agreed that the following initiatives should be undertaken in the first year of the Watermark Award scheme:

Raising Awareness Activities

• Save water, save money – tips on how to save water and cut your water bill

• Bin the wipe – Encouraging people to stop putting wet wipes in toilets as they can end up blocking pipes

Taking Action Activities

• Rain savers – installing water butts to help reduce rainfall run-off pilot scheme

• Water audits – installing water saving interventions to reduce water use at council and community buildings

• Only rain down the drain – supporting the National Yellowfish Campaign, painting yellow fish symbols by drains to raise awareness of which drains lead directly to rivers and waterways

• Education – signing up local schools for a free talk on the topic

Amongst the group involved are: U3A, Warminster Health and Wellbeing Forum, Sustainable Warminster, Warminster Toad Patrol, Friends of Warminster Rivers, Grovelands Countryside & Wildlife Group, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Wessex Rivers Trust and Warminster Town Council.

For more information contact Warminster Town Council, Tel: 01985 214847 or email: admin@warminster-tc.gov.uk