Stringent regulations on how wastewater is treated, coupled with higher concentration of effluent has seen the development of natural wastewater systems move with pace over the past five years.
New directives from the EU, plus discharge consents set by the Environment Agency, ensure that every business, responsible for managing wastewater, must comply whether it is a water company, an airport, landfill operator or a manufacturer – all are answerable if they leak contaminants into a watercourse.
Whilst there are mechanical and chemical methods of treating wastewater, new innovations in natural wastewater treatment systems mean they are fast-becoming the preferred option. It’s due to their environmental credentials and ability to treat water loaded with variable effluent.
ARM Group Limited has been working with its US partner, Naturally Wallace Consulting, to deliver a relatively simple and cost-effective innovation in response to a need to improve on the efficiency of existing passive systems.
The introduction of Forced Bed AerationTM (FBATM) means that the majority of wastewaters, from a variety of sources, can be treated naturally. These include sewage from urban developments, industrial process waters, waters loaded with de-icer and those from landfill sites.
Tori Sellers, a director at ARM, explains: “Changes in legislation are putting greater demands on the treatment of wastewater and companies have to adapt to meet stricter controls.
“This, coupled with a need to operate effectively within a limited landscape, makes FBATM a sustainable option to meet water quality requirements.
“In an economic climate where cost-saving is becoming key to the viability of a business, reed beds with FBATM technology offer a commercially-astute wastewater treatment solution.”
Discharge consents are set by the Environmental Agency. Businesses that produce, or are responsible for, treating wastewater, must also comply with EU Directives including the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD), Groundwater Directive and Water Framework Directive (WFD), which now govern the way that wastewater should be managed in the UK.
For more information about ARM, visit:
W: www.armreedbeds.co.uk
T: 01889 583 811
E: [email protected]
