Water & Wastewater Treatment

www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | MARCH 2016 | 5 Defra delays private drain decision The Government has still yet to determine if and when rules will be implemented for the automatic transfer to water companies of drains, sewers and private pumping stations built aer 2011, delegates at WWT's Wastewater 2016 conference heard. Ownership of existing private drains and sewers serving more than one property transferred to the relevant sewerage companies in 2011, and private pumping stations built before this cut-off and serving more than one property are set to follow in October 2016. However, since the Government has yet to implement section 42 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 – which governs the mandatory transfer of newer sewerage infrastructure – in England, such assets are surrounded by uncertainty. While developers are able to come to individual arrangements for their adoption with the water company, there is no consistency in the standards applied across England and many assets end up owned by householders who have limited knowledge of them. But speaking at WWT's Wastewater Infrastructure and Networks conference, held in Birmingham on January 28th and sponsored by Technocover, Philip Wildbore, Chief Technical Advisor at Defra, was unable to give a timetable for this uncertainty to be cleared up. "Defra remains committed to introducing section 42 when we can do so in a way that does not have an adverse impact on housing supply," Wildbore told the conference. "We welcome that Water UK and developers' representatives have worked closely together to look at and agree the processes and standards for adoption, and we would encourage both sides to consider coming to voluntary arrangements wherever appropriate. "We also welcome any information that attendees may have on the economic benefits of automatic transfer." Ministers are cautious about the effect that mandatory adoption rules might have on housebuilding, a sector that is an economic priority. Polluters pay VOX POP "This amazing new super sewer is providing the bold infrastructure needed to support the movements of our rapidly growing city." London Mayor Boris Johnson on the Lee Tunnel "It has been a great honour for me to lead CIWEM Executive through this difficult but very exciting period." Nigel Hendley, who stepped down as CIWEM chief executive this month "We will employ the wide range of skills we have across Pennon to share best practice and deliver cost savings and growth opportunities." Chris Loughlin, Pennon Group CEO, on the SWW-Bournemouth merger UU's Davyhulme to get gas-to-grid upgrade United Utilities has started a project at Davyhulme WWTW which will allow biogas produced from the sewage treatment process to be injected into the gas grid. The sludge digestion centre at the plant in Trafford, near Manchester, currently generates electricity from biogas but the technology installed by the upgrade will clean the gas sufficiently for it to be put into the gas grid and used by households and businesses. The scheme is expected to be up and running with gas going into supply by the Spring. It was recently reported that the UK is the fastest growing market in the world for biomethane-to-grid (BtG) connections, with 23 made in 2015 and 50 in total. Severn Trent's Minworth WwTW, Northumbrian Water's Howden WwTW and Wessex Water's Avonmouth WwTW are among the wastewater treatment sites to have made successful connections. Yorkshire Water fined £600,000 over Wakefield sewage Yorkshire Water has been fined £600,000 a er an ageing sewage pipe burst and killed hundreds of fish in a Wakefield lake. The incident involved a sewage pipe leading from the company's Shay Lane pumping station through Walton Colliery Nature Park in October 2013. At least 850 fish perished in the lake and nearby canal. The company was also ordered to pay costs of £24,000. Southern Water splashes cash on beach plan Southern Water is to spend £31M over the next five years to tackle various pollution sources in bathing waters in its region, the company has announced. The Bathing Water Enhancement Programme (BWEP) will initially concentrate on 21 of the region's 83 bathing waters and investigate the barriers to them achieving 'excellent' status. SEPA launches flood protection handbook The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has launched new guidance for local authorities and landowners to help them implement natural flood protection measures. The Natural Flood Management Handbook was launched at an event held by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management. As many in Scotland recover from the impact of recent flooding, the handbook details how natural flood management can contribute to help reduce the impact of frequent flooding on a smaller scale.

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