15 September 2023

On the 30th of August, we met representatives from Anglian Water and visited March Water Recycling Centre. We were shown around the centre and learnt about how the water was recycled and some of the challenges that they faced, such as people putting wet wipes and other non-biodegradable products down the toilet. We got to see this waste first hand. Sewage obstructions produced by wet wipes, sanitary products, fats, and grease are among the leading causes of sewage floods in homes and the environment.

What was most striking about the water recycling was how natural it was, relying primarily on gravity and mechanical processes rather than adding chemicals. We were impressed by the biological filters. The water from the primary tanks flows over stone beds in this operation. The tanks are filled with stones which are permeable and provide a home for the bacteria. The microorganisms then eliminate anything toxic left in the water in the same way as activated sludge does. Sludge collected from the primary and final settlement tanks are treated to make it safe by anaerobic digestion and then sold to farmers to be used as a fertiliser.

 

We also had a look at the new storm tanks that fill up during periods of heavy rainfall and help prevent flooding. We discussed storm overflow and they explained that they have been collaborating with the Environment Agency to deploy Event Duration Monitors (EDMs) across the network to provide a rigorous and consistent method of monitoring this data. The monitors can be sensitive and there are times when engineers are called out to a flood, but then find only a rag or some other item that the monitor has detected and flagged as an issue. Although this isn’t great for their data, it sounds practical as it stops the items from building up and causing an issue later.

We then visited Tipps End Sewage Treatment works which was two lagoons! The lagoons work by microorganisms in the lagoon breaking down the sewage and wastewater. The sun and wind are critical to the lagoon's operation. The lagoons are perfect for smaller towns and villages, and you would never know that they are treating sewage. We couldn’t smell a thing! We were very impressed that there will be more nature based solutions including 26 new treatment wetlands, springing up over the East Anglian region, one of which will be in Coton, South Cambridgeshire.

One of the reasons that we wanted to meet with Anglian Water is our concern about storm overflows and sewage ending up in our rivers. The Event Duration Monitors have already made a notable difference by showing more accurate data about the actual frequency and times they operate, which is improving all the time.

The 2022 EDM data states that they have reduced spills to 15 (from 25 in 2021) against an industry average of 29. We would prefer that number to be 0 but from what we heard, it does seem that they are genuinely working to try and fix the issues. It takes time and money to build new infrastructure and the new storm tanks in March and other areas and the monitoring systems are a step in the right direction.

Storm overflows were originally constructed to protect houses and businesses from floods. Under extreme weather circumstances, they prevent sewers from becoming overloaded by acting as a pressure release, allowing floodwater to escape into a river or the sea rather than backing up into ground level bathroom toilets and shower trays. Because of the work they accomplish, and even though they are called "sewer overflows," most of the water they spill is rainwater, not raw sewage.

Anglian Water explained that as part of their 5 year (2020-2025) £811 environmental investment programme known as WINEP (Water Industry National Environment Programme), they are investing £200 million directly into reducing storm spills. Additionally, alongside the other water and sewerage companies in England, they have submitted a Storm Overflow Reduction Plan to Defra. This compulsory plan sets out how they will tackle all the storm overflows in their area and should be published by Defra in the next few months.

They have implemented significant enhancements to the sewer network, including the installation of more than 100 storm tanks and they have harnessed advanced technology to better plan their maintenance and jetting program to enables them to respond rapidly to prevent blockages that can lead to more frequent overflow incidents. To address spill prevention, they advocate reducing the excessive use of concrete, thereby decreasing the number of asphalted driveways and urban areas. They want to create additional green spaces and implement sustainable drainage systems to manage rainwater runoff. They also emphasise the necessity of mandating more sustainable drainage solutions for new housing developments and reconsidering the automatic 'right to connect' new homes to the sewer network. Such initiatives require government support and should be executed in collaboration with local authorities, developers, and highway authorities.

They also have a Keep It Clear campaign dedicated to raising consumer awareness and instigating behavioural changes to reduce pollution incidents. Notably, blockages account for nearly 40% of pollution events.

One interesting topic of discussion was that in the UK all domestic and commercial water supply needs to be drinkable. Which means that a lot of water is wasted. In some parts of the world, non (potable water (not suitable for drinking) is used for toilets, washing machines and industrial use. It is something to think about for the future.

Anglian Water ran an advertisement last autumn emphasising their dedication to conserving clean rivers through the building of wildlife-friendly wetlands. It was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority. The ASA said that it “accepted that Anglian Water were carrying out a number of activities that could have a positive impact on the environment,” but that “because they also carried out activities that caused harm to the environment, which contradicted the overall impression of the ad, [the ASA] considered that was material information which should have been made clear in the ads.”

The ruling makes sense because there have been serious issues in the past, but it was exciting to hear about future (and current) plans. We spoke to the people who go out and work with our water every day, and they all sounded passionate and genuinely excited about what they were doing, the changes they are making and the growing biodiversity of the water system.

 

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