Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/1072554
www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | FEBRUARY 2019 | 7 The FOG of war: South West Water has discovered a 64-metre fatberg – the largest ever found in Devon – in a Sidmouth sewer. "It's really eerie in that bit of the sewer and it does look like something out of a horror scene, all congealed and glossy and matted together with all kinds of things," Charlie Ewart, who discovered the fatberg, said. QUOTE OF THE MONTH "This will be a national, non- binding target that we will use to judge the effectiveness of our actions and those of the water industry in reducing water use." Defra has announced that it will launch a call for evidence on the potential for a target on per capita consumption (PCC) The Government has announced that new micro robots will be built to repair the UK's huge underground pipe network in an effort to significantly cut the disruption caused by the 1.5 million road excavations that take place every year. Scientists from four British universities will use £7 million of Government investment to try to develop 1cm long robotic devices that use sensors and navigation systems to find and mend cracks in pipes. A further 14 projects backed by £19.6 million Government investment, through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF), will see robots sent to hazardous work places such as offshore wind-farms and nuclear decommissioning facilities. £7.7M Yorkshire Water is spending £5.2 million at Thirsk WwTW and £2.5 million at Bedale WwTW to improve the quality of water returned to the local water courses, Bedale Beck and Cod Beck, a er treatment. £12M Northumbrian Water and the Environment Agency are to spend £12 million on the modernisation of its Riding Mill pumping station over the next two years. Work has started on the refurbishment of the entire site, including all four of the huge pumps, which will make them more effective and energy-efficient. GOOD MONTH FOR… The water industry a er it was announced that a ban on the outdoor use of metaldehyde is to be introduced across Great Britain from spring 2020. The decision was motivated by the pesticide's "unacceptable risk to birds and mammals" but the restrictions will help water companies to avoid issues with contamination.. BAD MONTH FOR… Northumbrian Water, which has been fined £499,725 over drinking water offences. The offences arose in December 2016 following maintenance work on South Moor Service Reservoir that required the internal application and curing of an epoxy coating material, which was carried out incorrectly. The company pleaded guilty to the supply of water unfit for human consumption and for an offence arising from not following the manufacturer's instruction for use of a product. GETTING STARTED NUMBERS The Talk: February