FEATURES
OCU Group: Trenchless solutions for the water sector
Providing sustainable water solutions with maximum outputs and minimum disruption.
OCU delivers market-leading Trenchless installation services, underpinned by more than 20 years of experience and continuous investment. We have built a nationally scaled in-house Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) capability, supported...
Strengthening cybersecurity in the water industry
By Doug McGeachie, Director of Enterprise Sales, Fortinet
From the introduction of the Eighth Asset Management Period (AMP8) and the Directive on Security of Network and Information Systems (NIS2), to the National Cybersecurity Centre’s Cyber Assessment Framework, the regulatory landscape...
The case for continuous final effluent monitoring in AMP8 and beyond
By Tom Lendrem, Solutions Architect, Badger Meter
As we enter AMP8, the national rollout of Continuous Water Quality Monitoring (CWQM) is underway.
While well-intentioned, the programme faces well-documented challenges including maintaining power to remote systems and land access issues. Add to...
What role does AI have to play in creating resilient water infrastructure?
By Thomas Grand, COO, Samp
How do companies overcome the dual challenge of tackling climate issues and meeting the need for massive infrastructure investment? Thomas Grand, COO, Samp, says digital is the way forward.
Access to water, for both drinking and...
Safety technology innovations to support changing working practices in the water industry
By Becca Dodds, Marketing Manager, Mobile Gas Management, Draeger Safety UK
Safety technology in the water industry has made significant advances in recent years, not least in the field of gas safety.
Industry 4.0 and the ongoing automation of traditional industrial...
Combined tertiary Nitrogen and Phosphorus removal, a case study
By Kathleen Moons, Eric Leenaerts (Aquafin), Hans Wouters (Brightwork)
Drivers for nutrient removal
Removing nutrients (N and P) from wastewater is essential for several environmental, economic, and public health reasons. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus levels can lead to eutrophication in rivers,...
Exploring ballasted clarification for phosphorous removal
With phosphorous reduction required at more than 800 wastewater treatment works over the next five years, Duncan Wildgoose, BDM head of wastewater & water treatment, Xylem UK, discusses ballasted clarification, one of the solutions achieving very low levels.
The 2025-2030...
Water company achieves sustainable phosphorus removal with Veolia Water Technologies’ Hydrex™ Coagulant
In a UK first, a major water company has trialled Veolia Water Technologies’ innovative plant-based coagulant, Hydrex™ 62925, for phosphorus removal at one of its wastewater treatment works (WwTW) and is now exploring opportunities for wider roll-out.
The use of...
Wessex Water unveils wetlands plan for protected site
A £5 million project is being proposed to protect one of England’s most important landscapes.
Wessex Water, along with partner YTL Construction, will use natural methods to reduce harmful nutrients found in river water.
The ambitious proposals will create new wetland...
Phosphorus reduction technology successfully trialled by United Utilities
Water-efficient, low-energy, phosphorus reduction technology has enabled United Utilities to deliver tightened phosphorus removal consents at one of its wastewater treatment works.
Water companies in England and Wales are experiencing ongoing challenges in meeting new and expected phosphorus permits, some...
Bacteria-based self-healing cementitious materials tested for enhancing the durability of wastewater treatment infrastructure
By Dr Dana Ofiteru, Newcastle University
Access to a continuous flow of untreated municipal wastewater at the BEWISe pilot plant enabled the first systematic feasibility study of bacteria-based self-healing (BBSH) concrete under realistic wastewater conditions.
Portland-cement concrete contributes about 8 %...
International research: ‘BEWISe about Trickling Filter Process Emissions’
By Paul Lavender, HaskoningDHV UK Ltd
To address this knowledge gap Haskoning and Newcastle University have developed a research programme to overcome the challenges to understand the impact of TF processes on emissions. This programme will use the BE:WISe Wastewater...
Europe’s largest pilot-scale research facility focuses on NetZero wastewater treatment
By Professor Russell Davenport and Debbie Wilde, Newcastle University
The BEWISe facility is the first of its type in Europe to use bacteria in large-scale wastewater treatment research.
The facility is based at Northumbrian Water’s sewage treatment plant at Birtley, near...
Choosing the best evaporation technique for digestate and sludge
By Arnold Kleijn, HRS Heat Exchangers
Due to their thick, viscous nature digestates and sludges are among the most challenging materials to evaporate efficiently and effectively.
However, the benefits in terms of handling, disposal and treatment can be significant. While there...
Storing up a boost to river life in south Gloucestershire
£5 million project to protect the Frome in Frampton Cotterell completed
Underground tanks will help preserve River Frome environment
A £5 million investment to help protect water quality in the River Frome in south Gloucestershire has been completed on schedule.
The final touches...
Evaluating shoreline retreat in built reservoirs: lessons from Texas
By Paul F. Hudak, Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas.
Multi-purpose water supply and flood control reservoirs sustain communities worldwide. Texas, U.S., has more than 150 freshwater lakes (TPWD, 2024) — all but one a built...
Tackling the hidden crisis: advances in water leak detection
Water is our most precious resource, yet across the UK, billions of litres are lost every day due to leaks. The challenge for utilities is significant: ageing infrastructure, climate pressures, and increasing demand all contribute to a growing urgency...
Bridging the gap between leak detection and repair: the role of early-stage leak detection
Clean water and wastewater: what’s the true cost of a leak?
In UK clean water pipelines, leakage has been a permissible practice for many years because it’s considered an associated byproduct of transporting water through the network under pressure. For...
Water company leak correlation trials deliver efficiencies
Multiple water companies trialling a new end-to-end leakage detection system from Ovarro have seen significant time-savings and efficiency gains.
EnigmaREACH is an all-in-one correlating kit, comprising 32 or 64 acoustic leak loggers, an app to guide technicians through logger deployment,...
Leadership in Water Loss Reduction: The Role of Regulation and Commitment
The aging water infrastructure across many regions has become an increasing concern for policymakers and utility operators. One of the most pressing consequences of aging networks is water loss, whether due to leaks, pipe bursts, structural failures, or inefficiencies...
Million-plus smart meters coming to Thames Water region in £50 million deal
The UK’s largest water company has signed a new smart meter framework with two major technology suppliers.
It’s the next step in Thames Water’s smart meter strategy to reach an additional million homes and businesses across London, the Thames Valley...
Three Acoustic Technologies for Leak Detection and Pipe Assessment
Water companies face a constant battle against leaks, ageing infrastructure, and the need for efficient asset management.
Acoustic technology is being successfully used in leak detection, pipe assessment, and continuous leak monitoring for decades. These technologies leverage advanced signal processing...
ZERO LEAK LINER® for Critical Water Sector with 30-year Warranties & 100-year Design Life
The integrity of waterproofing membranes (liners) is crucial in water infrastructure, even minor leaks into service reservoirs can cause significant ingress of contaminants and bacteria into the potable water supply network, potentially affecting consumer health and leading to costly...
Thousands of storm overflows upgraded
Severn Trent has completed 1,500 engineering projects ahead of schedule and has unveiled further plans to fast-track the delivery of another 600 improvement projects to reduce the use of storm overflows.
This will bring the number of upgrades, including storm...
Evenproducts’ Storm Overflow Solution for Severn Trent
he Challenge
Severn Trent manages the largest network of storm overflows in the UK, with around 2,472 systems. As part of an industry-leading programme to tackle spills, the water company recognised the need to go further and faster in addressing...
Buntingford Sewage Treatment Works completes £17.4 million upgrade as part of Thames Water’s commitment to river health
Thames Water has completed a £17.4 million upgrade at Buntingford Sewage Treatment Works (STW).
This has increased the site’s capacity by 20%, which will help reduce the risk of storm overflows following heavy rainfall.
This is...
United Utilities reveals reduction in storm overflow spills across Windermere and the North West
United Utilities’ ambitious £200 million investment plan to reduce spills across Windermere from storm overflows is moving at pace.
The water and wastewater company is set to confirm a reduction in the number and duration of storm overflow operations across...
Reduced PCC with Enhanced Environmental Incentives for Developers
Despite the focus of the media on ‘sewage spills’ and the highlighting of Event Discharge Monitoring (EDM) reports, the longer-term environmental impact of the water deficit can have an equally damaging impact on the natural environment.
Combining the increasing Per...
Data opportunities open up in Ofwat final determinations
As the sector absorbs Ofwat’s final determinations for water company business plans, Lila Thompson, chief executive, British Water, asks what the big increase in AMP8 investment means for the use of data and analytics in building a resilient and...
Technology Solutions for the Complete Water Cycle
Badger Meter is a water technology innovator with more than a century of experience serving municipal, commercial and industrial customers worldwide. Since introducing the first frost-proof water meter in 1905, the US company has built upon this success and...