Executive Overview
Sustainability and water resilience has rightly percolated to the very top of the agenda.
Shifting weather patterns, alongside changes in water availability, quality, and nutrient levels, are clear signs of the increasing impact of climate change. These pressures are compounded by growing demand for limited water resources, changing agricultural irrigation needs, expanding commercial activity, and already stressed ecosystems. To meet these challenges, building a robust and adaptive water resilience model is essential, and with sustainability increasingly at the heart of every responsible water supplier’s operational strategy, embracing the innovation required is business critical.
Following detailed dialogue around engineering design and system integration, Emulous Water was awarded the design-and-build contract for a multi-stage water recycling pilot plant by Wessex Water Services. The pilot system incorporates several technologies including ultrafiltration (UF), granular activated carbon (GAC), and UV-C disinfection. Its objective is to treat final effluent to a high level of purity and then to discharge it to a natural water body. The recycled water being discharged will for most parameters significantly exceed the quality of the water body in to which it will ultimately be discharged for subsequent abstraction via a water treatment works.
Key Project Challenges
- Designing a complete treatment system with complementary purification stages
- Meeting an accelerated construction and assembly schedule
- Selecting technologies that ensure effective contaminant removal
- Maximising operational efficiency
- Optimising design for both space usage and practical operation
- Working within a limited site footprint
- Implementing a two-storey, vertically stacked GAC configuration
Scope of Works
The pilot system combines an Ultrafiltration (UF) stage, an adsorption stage using Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) particles, and a final disinfection/polishing stage via Low Pressure UV.
1. Ultrafiltration (UF) Stage
Fit-out of the containerised UF stage comprised a 40′ hi-line reefer container, insulated, lined and equipped with internal framing, retrofitted with pipework and cabling apertures and channels. Integration of 10 no. Veolia ZW1500 outside-in feed hollow-fibre UF membranes supplied directly by Emulous Water through our Veolia Channel Partnership. Each high performance UF module contains densely packed filtration fibres which combine to remove even the smallest particles, bacteria, microorganisms and microscopic contaminants.
The resulting flow from the UF benefits from significantly reduced turbidity/solid particle concentrations – lower in fact than the natural water body into which it might theoretically discharge. The system has been designed to initiate an automatic periodic chemically enhanced backwash that ensures each of the membranes benefits from the removal of accumulated particles. All chemicals introduced are approved for drinking water applications by the DWI and are only used in small quantities to optimise efficiency whilst minimising membrane surface deterioration and maximising life expectancy of the UF system. The containerised UF stage also incorporates butterfly valves, pipework, field devices analysers and monitors, backwash tank and CIP tank, fully automated CIP, PLC and automation software.
2. GAC Adsorption Stage
The GAC adsorption stage is then used to further purify the flow and adsorb more of the dissolved micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals and PFAS/PFOS ‘forever chemicals’. As the water passes through the GAC stage, dissolved substances adhere to the carbon particles, leaving the purified flow to proceed to its final disinfection stage. The GAC beds are periodically backwashed to prevent the particles consolidating and causing a blockage. Once the GAC granules have exhausted their optimal life, they are either removed and regenerated through heat treatment, or potentially fully replaced. Monitoring systems are used to track performance of the system and ensure optimum purification is maintained.
3. UV Disinfection
Ultraviolet light (UV) is incorporated into the design as a final chemical free disinfection stage. Our preferred ‘Van Remmen’ Low Pressure UV reactor eradicates at least 99.999% of the remaining viruses, pathogens, protozoa and bacteria. A final sampling and analysis point has been designed into the system to ensure that once the flow has been through our multi-barrier treatment and purification process, the water quality is of an appropriate standard to be recycled for reuse via a suitable environmental buffer.
Verification & Research
The Emulous Water team has a deep understanding of the effectiveness and suitability of various filtration and disinfection technologies and preferred supply chain relationships with all the most credible and market leading suppliers
Build Smart
The design phase was executed using Solid Works, with regular presentations to the client and the wider project team for engagement and feedback. The entire system, including the 5mtr high 2-storey GAC system was designed and built off-site at the Emulous Water fabrication hub in Wells, Somerset and then transported to site for integration and commissioning by Emulous Water installation engineers
Assessment of Technology
Integration of IFM sensors and systems audibly and visually indicate the status of the system. IFM signalling uses 10-Link to allow for coloured indicators and alerts.
Digital Delivery
The pilot plant is supported by Emulous Water’s proprietary remote Smart View Hub which allows the team to monitor system performance and highlight any operational difficulties.
Conclusion:
The system has been designed to treat, purify and disinfect final effluent from the municipal WWTW to a suitable standard for blending and dilution within an environmental buffer such as a river, lake or reservoir from where it can be abstracted and subject to traditional WTC processes. Throughout its journey through the Emulous Water multi-barrier pilot plant, quality is monitored in real time at various points across the system. The technologies utilised are proven, well understood and high quality. The system design represents an achievable solution, particularly when the application requires both a modest footprint and when the recycled water is to be discharged to an environmental buffer.
Ready to build a robust and adaptive water resilience model for your organization?
Our team specializes in the design, build, and integration of multi-stage purification systems tailored to solve your most pressing site challenges. Whether you require containerised ultrafiltration or advanced adsorption stages, we deliver proven, high-quality solutions.
Contact Emulous Water today at 01761 751795 or visit emulouswater.com to discuss your project requirements.