Supporting the water industry to meet WINEP obligations via the UKWIR Chemical Investigations Programme
Brammer, J. and Thornton, A., Atkins, UK
(free)
The UKWIR Chemical Investigations Programme (CIP) has entered its third phase this spring and has been designed to meet the obligations of AMP7 Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP).
During Phase 1 this collaborative research programme serving the needs of Water Companies and Regulators provided an extensive set of data on the ranges of concentration in trace contaminants in sewage treatment works (STW) effluents.
Phase 2 went on to characterise effluent concentrations in over 600 STW discharges in addition to catchment studies and pilot and feasibility trials of new treatment technologies. Findings were used to inform UK and EU policy on potential costs of interventions. This latest phase covers a more diverse range of drivers with investigations designed to understand the challenges faced by the water industry with regard to cutting edge research including antimicrobial resistance (AMR), microplastics, sludge as well as emerging and watch list substances. Investigations will build on CIP2 findings to understand river and sewer catchment sources of PFOS, PFOA, HBCCD and cypermethrin. Atkins has identified innovative opportunities to interrogate the interlinkages between drivers such as mechanisms, sludge and chemical removal by installed technologies therefore building strength into the interpretation of the national view.
