Yorkshire Water and their capital partners have commenced work on the replacement long sea outfall for their Withernsea Wastewater Treatment Works which is located near Hollym. (Click Here to read the official announcement.) An overland pipe will be laid in fields around Hollym to the location of the planned new wastewater treatment works south of the village. This same route will be utilised to extend the existing sewage main up to the location of the new treatment works.
The work is part of a £26 million scheme to move the existing wastewater treatment works further inland due to coastal erosion. A contractor is currently being appointed to build the new, more environmentally sustainable Aero-Fac® wastewater treatment works. The plant would be the first plant of its kind in Yorkshire, with a low-carbon construction producing minimal odour and noise. It would have no need for sludge removal, meaning no tanker movement and the impact on traffic this brings. The facility will service wastewater for approximately 15,000 people.
Mark Allsop from Yorkshire Water said: “This is a substantial investment in the Withernsea area and we’ve previously given assurances that the new treatment works is not expected to have any impact on residents in respect of noise and odour.”
The Withernsea Aero-Fac® will be the first new wwtp constructed by Yorkshire Water in about 20 years and underscores their commitment to using highly sustainable technology that can reduce total 20-year operating costs (OPEX) by 70-90% as compared to often used conventional activated sludge options.
The Search for Sustainability
Yorkshire Water had spent considerable time and effort researching various options, but saw excellent benefits from the well-proven and time-tested Aero-Fac® technology, especially after a visit to an Aero-Fac® facility in Cambridgeshire, which has been running successfully for over a decade. When the new construction of Gurney Environmental’s Aero-Fac Wastewater Treatment System was announced for Withernsea, this is what Yorkshire Water had to say.
Withernsea Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) is located to the south of Withernsea, close to the village of Hollym. Since 2015, we’ve engaged with stakeholders and local residents on a long term solution. The new Aero-Fac® technology as supplied by Gurney Environmental will be more sustainable and has a much lower carbon footprint as it uses little energy and is able to treat the wastewater to an excellent standard. The work is expected to start on the new treatment works in the Spring of 2020 and completed in the Summer of 2021.
Yorkshire Water’s Communications Advisor John Bond went on to say:
“Our proposal is a step away from traditional treatment works and means we are opting for a much greener, more environmentally friendly option. The new proposal means construction times will be reduced, traffic movements can be minimised and once finished, the site will be virtually noise free. In addition, visual impacts and the risk of odour will be greatly reduced.”
Time-Proven Technologies
Yorkshire Water’s Communications Advisor, John Bond continued:
“Our existing facility in Hollym, near Withernsea needs to be replaced as it is now only 40 metres from the sea due to rapid coastal erosion in the area. By building a new treatment facility inland, we’re able to look at new, alternative options for treating the town's waste water, and we feel Gurney Environmental’s experience and track record provide us with the best solution for both ourselves and our customers for the future.”
Yorkshire Water visit in 2018 to successful Anglian Water decade-old Aero-Fac® wwtp.