Newsdesk
WPL lands contract for wastewater treatment at Ebbsfleet
Package treatment specialist WPL has landed one of its biggest-ever projects - to build the wastewater treatment plant for Castle Hill, Kent – the first phase of the Government’s new garden city to be built at Ebbsfleet Valley. The new town of Ebbsfleet is one of the most important developments in the south of England, with plans to build 15,000 new homes for a planned population of 40,000.
Multi-utility provider Metropolitan was awarded the contract to deliver services for the 1,500-home Castle Hill development by Landsec. The agreement includes installation of a new onsite wastewater treatment works for 4,000 population equivalent (PE).
Metropolitan appointed Alpheus, a specialist in water and wastewater asset management and design, to provide the plant. WPL is working in partnership with Alpheus to deliver a flexible system to serve the homes, businesses and amenities currently under construction. The new wastewater treatment works is being built in two stages and WPL is supplying a total of 16 above ground WPL Hybrid-SAF submerged aerated filter package treatment units along with primary lamella clarifier units, final settlement tanks, blowers and the air lines.
Prestigious development
WPL technical director Andrew Baird said: “This will be one of the largest installations WPL has built from start to finish and our biggest contract to date for the Hybrid-SAF. It is a very prestigious project – particularly as it involves the creation of Ebbsfleet new town.
“WPL has been discussing plans with Alpheus for three years to ensure the new plant will meet the requirements of the first inhabitants of Castle Hill. Given the long-term vision for the development, it is important that the plant optimises the footprint available and is flexible to accommodate a growing population.”
At present, effluent from the homes and
commercial properties in the Castle Hill development is collected in a storage tank and transported away by tanker. However the town, which is 17 minutes away from central London by high-speed rail and situated on the High Speed 1 service to continental Europe, is set for rapid expansion.
In the March 2014 Budget, the then Chancellor promised 15,000 new homes in Ebbsfleet. New retail, business, leisure and commercial facilities along with schools and healthcare provision are expected to create up to 20,000 jobs.
Two-stage build
The first stage of the new treatment works which will serve 2,000 PE has been completed and comprises one primary lamella clarifier, eight Hybrid-SAF units connected in series and the final settlement tank. The second stage, on which work is expected to begin next year, will expand the plant to serve 4,000 PE.
Andrew Baird explains: “The existing storage tank is adequate to serve the homes constructed during phase one of the Castle Hill development, but by late 2017 there are expected to be over 1,000 people living there. At this point, WPL plan to move on to stage two, to be built alongside stage one, which will comprise a primary lamella clarifier, sludge storage tanks, eight additional WPL Hybrid-SAF units and an additional final settlement tank.”
The area has protected groundwater so the Environment Agency stipulated that the new treatment plant had to be installed above ground. The plant will release wastewater treated to the high standard required by the Environment Agency into the Thames Estuary
WPL installed the first stage of the plant in the spring of 2017 and it will become operational by late summer. Both phases of the plant are being
60 drain TRADER | October 2017 |
www.draintraderltd.com
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