The ResMix “Source Management” System is used at South Staffordshire Water's Blithfield Reservoir for manganese reduction and general water quality improvement. Two units are deployed to cover the reservoir.

South Staffordshire Water together with Gurney Environmental installed a ResMix “Source Management" System at their Blithfield reservoir located east of Stafford in 2021. The Australian made ResMix technologies and systems have been proven to save both initial capital costs as well as ongoing operational costs as compared to traditional options whilst significantly improving the quality of the raw water supply. South Staffordshire Water use the ResMix System primarily for manganese reduction and general water quality improvement at Blithfield.

Gurney Environmental and WEARS Australia, manufacturer of ResMix systems, first started talking with South Staffordshire Water two years prior to the installation. Gurney Environmental worked with South Staffordshire Water’s framework contractor, NMCN (Nomenca) Plc to deliver the project.

For this project, WEARS Australia specified a ResMix 5000CC (double unit) for the southern half of the reservoir and a single 5000 for the northern half. The reservoir is 18,000 Ml, has a maximum depth of ~15 m and a surface area of roughly 300 ha. The design driver was manganese reduction and general water quality improvement.

 

Raw Water Supply

Cost effective, simple to install and with very low energy consumption, the ResMix line of systems provides sustainable "Source Management" for the first time. The ResMix 5000cc model as used for Bithfield consists of two counter rotating, surface-mounted, large axial flow mixers. Each of the units can transfer 20 tonnes of oxygenated water from the surface to the bottom of a reservoir every second, not only evening out water temperature, but also increasing net dissolved oxygen levels.

CLICK HERE to learn about our raw water supply WEARS ResMix 'Source Management' system as well as our ResMix Vital potable water storage management systems.

Blithfield Reservoir

Blithfield Reservoir is a large raw water reservoir in Staffordshire, England, owned by South Staffordshire Water.
Some 800 acres (324 hectares) of reservoir was formed on land sold by Baron Bagot to the South Staffordshire Water Works (SSWW) in the 1940s. Blithfield Reservoir was opened by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother on Tuesday 27 October 1953.

The Reservoir is located just north-east of the town of Rugeley and just south of Abbots Bromley. The reservoir is a haven for wildlife, particularly birds, a fact that was recognised in 1988 when the reservoir and most of its surrounding woodland was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, (SSSI). Parts of the shoreline and surrounding woodland are only available to birdwatchers under a permit scheme, operated by the West Midland Bird Club, but much of the open water is visible from the road causeway which crosses the reservoir, and there is access to the dam end of the reservoir. There is also an education centre to facilitate visits by school parties.

Blithfield was once a "members only" fly fishing destination, but, in recent years, it has been opened up to day ticket holders. Blithfield reservoir walks give members of the public the chance to enjoy the area and its wildlife. The reservoir has been visited by many scarce and rare migrant birds, including an inland Arctic warbler (1993), Bonaparte's gull (1994 and 1996), blue-winged teal (1996 and 2000) and squacco heron (2004).