We are currently working on the approach to answering this Big Question, and more information will be given here soon. The areas that this Big Question covers includes: Once we understand where the gaps are, we will produce a route map – this is a plan as to how we will answer our Big Question. The route map will have a number of key elements. At the top will be our Big Question and then we will look to see what Outcomes we need from the research programme -if we can achieve all these outcomes we can answer the Big Question. This is the stage we are currently at for this Big Question. The next stage will be to think about the key benefits we want the research projects to deliver to meet these outcomes. Following this, we will plan the research projects to help deliver the benefits. UKWIR – the UK and Irish water industry’s research body – has commissioned the first study of its kind in the UK to develop a robust approach to sampling and detection of microplastic particles in the treated water cycle. This included accurately measuring the presence of microplastic particles in potable (drinking) water, treated wastewater and in the solid residues (sludge) produced by both the water and wastewater treatment processes. Please click here to view more information.
RESEARCH Outcomes
Sewers have the capacity to cope with new developments, infiltration and weather extremes View key benefits and filter projects by this outcome key benefits Ability to forecast extreme events (climate change) It is understood how to motivate widespread customer acceptance and uptake of rainfall and greywater recycling Population growth forecasts and its impacts are known SuDS features of urban design are promoted through legal frameworks Urban creep is known and can be forecast We have the methods to quantity & locate sewer infiltration We know how to increase surface permeability We know the impact of the growth in impermeable surfaces We know the most appropriate solutions to minimise sewer infiltration We know when and how to use natural solutions to increase sewer capacity What are the planned developments? |
We monitor our sewers to enable proactive intervention and have sufficient resources to incidents View key benefits and filter projects by this outcome key benefits All relevant technologies are being considered Capability to control sewer flows in real time (RTC) Capability to predict and control sewer flows at individual or catchment level Continuous / real time monitoring. Rebuild / reline work is undertaken promptly and successfully Robotic and Autonomous pipe inspections and maintenance solutions are available and tested Sewer cleansing / blockage clearance is done efficiently and effectively Understanding sewers and having consistent, improved and granular data |
The Structural Condition of sewer is known and maintained View key benefits and filter projects by this outcome key benefits Concrete pipe erosion and protection is understood Deterioration models are accurate, replacement rate is known Know how to plan and prioritise planned preventative maintenance (PPM) Know the methods and technologies to prevent root ingress Pipe material lifespans are understood There is a process for coordinating cross-utility underground asset management There is accurate information available to prioritise where to patch/line/full length repair/replace. We know the effectiveness of rehabilitation techniques: CIPP, spray lining other novel techniques We understand the most common failure mechanisms for sewers |
We can control sewer content at source View key benefits and filter projects by this outcome key benefits Able to understand and mitigate impact of reduced flow in sewers (from water efficiency measures) Behavioural change is better understood Education and awareness is common Evidence is available to inform regulations on nonflushable (wipes) The evolution of sewer friendly products Upstream methods to control the solids content of sewers |
We have market driven products and recovery View key benefits and filter projects by this outcome key benefits Energy recovery benefits sewer flow The growth of upstream and downstream markets Unwanted content is dealt with at source. Valuable elements are removed upstream / at WWTP We have the right standards and best practise to control FOG We know what is in our sewers |
| BQ06 - Treatment Options for Storm Overflows. Project Status - Project Completed Category - Collection Systems In order to deliver the required improvements to progressively reduce the adverse impact of storm overflows as detailed in the Environment Act, opportunities to treat overflows need to be further explored including their application, costs and benefits. |
| BQ06 - Understanding the possibilities of new approaches and standards from a data rich sewer network. Project Status - Project Commenced Category - Sewerage The mass deployment of low-cost level sewer monitors is underway across the UK, with companies installing 10,000’s of permanent new sewer monitors. WASCs will be network data rich for the first time. This advancement will present significant opportunities to improve the speed and accuracy of decision making, planning, design, and modelling approaches. |
| BQ06 - A holistic review of the impact of reducing the operation of sewer overflows on organic load to works, sludge production, carbon and GHG emissions.. Project Status - Project Commenced Category - Wastewater Treatment & Sewerage Currently the application of climate change to the DWMP and to LTDS has been carried out differently by companies. Companies require tools that take the UKCP18 climate model outputs and convert them into usable factors that can be applied within hydraulic models. REDup has been created to enable the risk from climate change to be applied to hydraulic models. The current REDUP tool provides information based on climate Projection RCP8.5. Government guidance and regulatory requirements are now requesting evidence from Modelling to include Climate Projections for all climate scenarios. Companies are being asked to produce this information with many more time horizons. The outputs of the tool need to consider how the data can be interpolated between years and whether the tool is capable of carrying out multiple year interpolation as well. The tool also can produce outputs that are equally statistically valid for the same request. Additional supporting information is required to explain this to our regulators. We need a tool to comply with the current regulatory and statutory requirements and we need to work with our regulators during this project to capture any additional expectations for delivery as part of DWMP29 and PR29. We need to prepare the tool to provide factors for more epochs that will allow us to react more quickly to direction from government through the planning process. |
| BQ06 - FOG Charging - Should foodservice wastewater charges reflect FOG content?. Project Status - Project Commenced Category - Wastewater Treatment & Sewerage The project objective will be providing a ‘risk-based’ charging system for all FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS (FSE’s – that include hospitality, commercial, restaurant and foodservice [both takeaway and seated]) kitchens based on the risk from FOG (fat, oil & grease + foodwaste) in the wastewater discharges from those FSE kitchens. Ofwat to support the ‘risk based’ wastewater charging scheme in accepting that ALL kitchens that provide food in individual portions for consumption on or off the premises, will discharge wastewater that contains FOG & foodwaste. Currently FSE’s are billed in same way as domestic households, where there is an assumption that 92.5% of the clean water registered through the water meter is returned to the sewer as wastewater. No account is taken of the ‘risk’ to the public sewer from the content of that wastewater and consequently only the FSE’s that create blockages are considered a risk under Section 111 Water Industry Act 1991. In reality all FSE’s discharge FOG and billing based on that risk to the sewer and sewerage wholesaler operations. The project objective would be to propose and recommend suitable FSE tariffs and appropriate percentage risk factors for FSE charging i.e., should the FSE with no grease management be charged 100% more (i.e., double the wastewater charges), but this charge can be mitigated back towards the normal 92.5% of the clean water used (by volume) by fitting effective and efficient grease management, recovering the maximum amount of FOG. The emphasis would then be placed on the ‘producer (polluter) pays’ as extended producer responsibility to drive behaviour change. This then supports the circular economy, zero pollution by 2040 and no CSO use. |
| There are several methods recognised to detect infiltration (CCTV, Electroscan etc) but all appear to have shortcomings that prevent them being as effective as is needed. Infiltration seems to be an intractable problem for several companies in the south of England (and others to a lesser extent) and can only be remedied where measurable (short of wholesale replacement/relining). This suggestion is to engage with universities/academia to suggest and pilot alternative technologies |
RESEARCH IMPACT - CASE STUDIES |