News

Watling Hope install pioneering low energy sewage treatment systems for the Environment Agency

27 May 2010

Oxford, UK

Watling Hope have installed two pioneering low energy Puraflo Peat Bio filtration sewage treatment systems for two lock keepers cottages owned and operated by the Environment Agency.

The Environment Agency owned lock-keepers cottages are situated on the banks for the Thames approx 2 miles East of Oxford. The cottages have recenlty been updated by the Environment Agency with a major focus on environmental sustainability.

Watling Hope were contacted by the Environment Agency to put forward a sustainable solution to treat the sewage onsite.

Watling Hope designed a scheme which incorporated two ultra-low energy Puraflo Biofiltration sewage treatment systems. The Puraflo system filters sewage effluent through peat-fibre which has a natural propensity for biological colony-formation and hence treatment.

The Puraflo system operates only when incoming flow is received and so has nominal energy usages and therefore exceptionally low running costs. An added feature is that the self contained Puraflo modules do not require deep excavations for fitting which also aided installation near the river.

The two Puraflo installations utilise the existing septic tanks and work by pumping the septic-tank discharge up to the peat-bank rather than letting it go straight to soakaway. This provides greatly improved effluent quality thus minimising environmental impact.

The new low energy sewage treatment system was installed within a week and without any interruption to trade.

Electricity consumption for this application is estimated to be approximately 3-5 kwh per week at a cost of about 5-10 pence per day.

For further details of the Puraflo Peat Biofiltration system please contact Watling Hope on 01789 740757.