Severn Trent Water’s Rural Strategy: Two stage vertical flow reed beds (VFRB) for landscape integration and lower OPEX costs – lessons learnt from first UK plant: PRESENTATION ONLY
Blanco, I., Bajón Fernández, Y., Ruswa, E., Cunliffe, D., Pereira, L. and Richards, A., Severn Trent Water, UK
(free)
A two stage VFRB system consists of a first stage that is fed crude sewage into one of three VFRBs, followed by a second stage that is fed settled sewage into one of two VFRBs. In each stage, only one bed is fed at a time to allow the others to drain and rest in-between operation.
Severn Trent Water has implemented this technology at full scale as it aligns with its vision for small works within a rural strategy: (i) low carbon footprint: the feed and rest operation allows passive aeration thus reducing costs in energy consumption, (ii) minimal operator intervention: simple design and sludge accumulation in the first stage reduces the need of de-sludge tankering for up to 10 years (iii) societal benefit to the local community: integration with the surrounding landscape making the local community more amenable to their implementation.
This system is well established in France, however hydrological differences highlight that direct technology transfer may not be applicable and further investigation of the technology is required under UK conditions. The aim of this work is to share lessons learnt during the commissioning of a two stage VFRB system, the first of its kind in the UK.
