More than 50 tonnes of sand will benefit the environment in the village of Westfield.

Sand filters – tanks filled with sand through which wastewater passes – will be built as part of a £2.7 million upgrade at Westfield Wastewater Treatment Works, near Hastings.

The filters, which measure 3.2 metres in diameter and 9.6 metres in height, will provide an extra treatment stage to remove tiny waste particles from wastewater.

The upgrade will also include two underground pumping stations and monitoring equipment which will continuously check the treated water leaving the site is of the very best quality.

This will benefit the local watercourses and ensure the works continues to meet tightening standards set by the Environment Agency.

Westfield Wastewater Treatment Works can treat up to 1.3 million litres of wastewater per day, from a population of 2,200 people.

Construction is underway and due to complete in the autumn of 2012. It will be carried out by contractor 4Delivery, a consortium comprising Veolia Water, Costain and MWH.