• Civil Engineering

  Green light for £100M Bristol water recycling centre upgrades

  Posted by Civil Engineering on November 9, 2023 at 4:00 am

  

  Wessex Water has received full planning permission for its £100M plans to upgrade infrastructure that will improve water treatment in the Bristol area.

  Work will commence next year on constructing more storage and processing infrastructure at the water recycling centre in Avonmouth, which treats sewage and wastewater from Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset. This will help the utility to meet the demands of the expected increase in local population and business in the next 25 years.

  The works at the water recycling centre will include installing tanks and biological reactors on Wessex Water land. These will enable the breaking down and handling of more incoming sewage and will improve the quality of treated wastewater before it gets released back into the Severn Estuary, according to the water company.

  There will also be works to increase the treatment capacity at the Avonmouth recycling centre. This will reduce the automatic operation of storm overflows in the event of heavy rainfall that overwhelms the sewer system.

  Included in the scheme are plans to enhance habitats for protected species of bats and birds. Works will also take place to restore local heritage sites such as the Mere Bank Scheduled Monument, while there will also be improvements made to underused rights of way.

  The approval for the scheme came after a five-year-long consultation process wherein Wessex Water gauged the views of the public and a wide range of organisations.

  The expansion is expected come into operation in 2028.

  
   Wessex Water was one of three utility companies accused of “dry spilling” – dumping wastewater into waterways during rain-free periods – earlier this year. The company blamed high groundwater in the area and said that it is implementing 28 nature-based solution schemes to fight the problem.

  The utility is investing £1.4bn during asset management period 7 (AMP7), between 2020 and 2025. Its plans for AMP8, 2025 to 2030, will see this investment increased to £3.5bn and – on top of the £100M wastewater infrastructure improvements – includes £1.1bn for maintaining asset resilience, £150M for environmental improvements, £120M to tackle pollution and sewer flooding, £70M for continuous river monitoring, £70M for new development and more.

  Speaking on the approval of the £100M wastewater treatment improvement plan, Wessex Water project delivery manager Simon Osborne said: “We’re delighted that planning members have backed these detailed proposals to ensure the Avonmouth site keeps pace with the rapidly-evolving communities it serves.

  “Bristol and areas around it are projected to grow substantially further over the coming decades and this expansion will help our services keep pace with the inevitable increase in demand as a result, while living up to the city’s vision of good social and environmental outcomes helping to drive sustainable economic growth.

  “Our site at Avonmouth is already the largest in our region, but by enhancing our capacity and operations there to treat more sewage and wastewater, we can help to ensure that treatment continues to safeguard the environment by maintaining the highest standards for release back into the Severn Estuary.

  “While upgrading our operations to meet the needs of Greater Bristol is a primary driver of this scheme, this is so much more than merely an infrastructure project.

  “The planning and consultation process has given us the opportunity to build relationships with the local communities around Avonmouth and forge potential collaboration on other important elements of this scheme, such as business and employment, environmental and historical enhancements and active travel opportunities.

  “As construction of the expansion gets under way, we will continue to explore these options with them to ensure this project continues to make a wider contribution to the area around the Avonmouth site.”

  Like what you’ve read? To receive New Civil Engineer’s daily and weekly newsletters click here.

  Civil Engineering replied 7 months, 3 weeks ago 1 Member · 0 Replies

  • Civil Engineering - News
• 0 Replies

Log In to Reply