Water Utilities

The challenge

Early detection of contamination from fuels, oils and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is vital in the water sector. Water treatment plants intakes need to be shut before damage is done to expensive equipment. Constant monitoring is needed to prevent contaminated industrial wastewater leaking entering rivers and waterways, thus avoiding fines and clean-up costs. Drinking water also needs to be protected from potential carcinogens such as trihalomethanes (THMs)

The challenge

Across the UK many rivers are eutrophic and have phosphorus levels well above the WFD limits for good ecological status. The challenge is to devise a cost effective strategy for P reductions in rivers in order to meet the WFD standards. The problem is exacerbated because there are many sources of phosphorus with the main sources being agricultural runoff and point source effluents from Sewage Treatment Works.

The challenge

Peat washed down into the reservoirs from moorland catchments causes water to be discoloured, meaning that Yorkshire Water has to invest even more in treating the water to ensure it reaches national standards set by the regulator.

In the words of Andrew Walker, Yorkshire Water’s catchment development leader: “Centuries of change have led to Yorkshire’s peatland habitats being degraded and this is now causing us an issue with the colour of drinking water in these areas.”

The challenge

Managing risk and opportunity for water utilities is central to water safety and security, serviceability, profitability, environmental sustainability and improved water quality. Changes in regulations, increased pressure from customers and financial stakeholders, and the added complexity of long-term risks such as changing climate, demography and infrastructure renewal are all leading to the need for better risk management.

The challenge

Industrial effluents, such as landfill leachate or pharmaceutical wastewater, have high ammonia levels. Many wastewater treatment works are consented by the Environment Agency (EA) at < 5 mg/l NH₃-N in treated effluent, and the consequences of nitrification failure can be serious. As one example, Severn Trent Water experienced nitrification issues at its Strongford Wastewater Treatment plant due to a customer illegally discharging toxic industrial effluent into the sewerage network.

The challenge

Over 10 billion litres of sewage are produced each day in the UK. Treating this volume of sewage uses over 2,000 gigawatt hours of electricity a year - almost 1% of total UK electricity consumption, and the equivalent of 5 million tones of CO2 emissions.

How can water utilities reduce energy consumption, and save money?

The solution

Novel micro-bubble technology invented by Professor Will Zimmerman at the University of Sheffield has the potential to dramatically reduce the energy demands of water purification and wastewater treatment

The challenge