Wolsingham sewage treatment works challenges the status quo

Learn how our innovative and sustainable approach to this project yielded never-before-seen results, created a buzz, and won awards.

Location

Durham - UK

Client

Northumbrian Water

The history of water treatment dates back thousands of years. Yet, the use of reinforced concrete to build tanks and pipes has only been around since 1868. Today, concrete is not only the most widely used building material in the world, it’s also the second-most used substance after water. For Sewage Treatment Works (STW), where lifecycle and durability demands are major considerations, concrete remains the standard go-to on projects worldwide. Yet, in situ construction involves more labour and more time, as well as the considerable carbon released by onsite concrete work and construction. Trusted relationships and early collaboration between the design team, the Client (Northumbrian Water Ltd), Contractor (Tilbury Douglas) and the supply chain, helped generate ideas for Wolsingham Sewage Treatment Works (STW) project resulting in innovative and sustainable ways to update the approach to these crucial projects. They have also created a buzz in the utilities sector, where previous advancements were typically limited to single aspects of a project - not the entire build.

Common challenges solved with a modern methods in construction approach

Increased flows and loads in the catchment from new housing developments was one of the main drivers for the Wolsingham project, as were recurring pollution incidents linked to combined sewer overflow from nearby areas. In addition to that, existing assets at the STW were in a state of disrepair and approaching end-of-life. So, all things considered, it was a project that was a long time in coming and not unusual for the industry. In fact, we completed the original feasibility study back in 2012.

For primary settlement tanks alone, the project achieved a massive reduction in carbon

47 tonnes

Reduction in Man-hours

47%

Our ground-breaking approach also yielded sizable savings for the project

+ £1M

Changing the status quo

When design work began in 2018, we started drafting a plan to make the new works fit within the existing footprint of the Wolsingham site. The benefits of this were two-fold: it ensured that no additional greenfield land had to be purchased for the needed improvements, and it enabled us to protect the local environment. This specific Northumbrian Water facility sits adjacent to the River Wear in County Durham, which is part of a region in the north east of England that is widely regarded for both its natural beauty and ancient history.