A WATER treatment works is set to be built as part of a £34m project to boost the levels of the River Darent.

The new plant could eventually mean that the amount of water being taken out of the river will reduce by 27m litres a day.

The Thames Water treatment works will be built near Lane End, Darenth by April 2005 to treat water from the four new bore holes that have been drilled around Bean.

Water taken from the new holes will mean that less water will be taken from two older bore holes closer to the river.

The plan for the future is to then close the Eynsford bore hole and halve the amount taken from the one in Horton Kirby.

South Darenth residents voiced their concerns over the low river flow when The Environment Agency joined them in April for a meeting.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "Water companies have a large part to play in protecting our chalk rivers so it is good to see that work such as this is being undertaken to help ease the pressure of water abstraction on the River Darent."

Thames Water's project manager Adrian Jack said: "We have already reduced the supplies we take from the two bore holes near the Darent, and the river has started to benefit as a result."

Thames Water's head of environment, quality and sustainability said: "The Darent was one of the finest chalk streams in the South East, famed for its trout fishing. It is really pleasing to see the river well on the road to recovery."