Reduce wastewater treatment costs and ensure environmental compliance

A pharmaceutical manufacturer producing disinfectants and detergents was using an external supplier to collect wastewater for off-site disposal, costing around £30,000 per month. The company needed a wastewater treatment solution that could cope with highly variable effluent and allow direct-to-drain discharge in line with SEPA consent limits. Veolia carried out thorough benchtop laboratory testing using a 'worst case' sample of effluent and installed an evaporator system. Key results include substantial reduction in off-site waste disposal, previously costing around £30,000 per month.

Arla's £150m Aylesbury facility processes up to one billion litres of milk annually and was planned as a showcase of sustainable development targeting zero carbon and zero waste to landfill. Veolia installed a Memthane® Anaerobic Membrane Bio-Reactor (AnMBR) with rainwater harvesting. This small footprint solution maximises renewable energy production through biogas generation while producing superb quality effluent for reuse or direct discharge to sewer. Key results include 99.4% average TCOD removal (2014 data), robust performance despite high and variable influent concentrations, and permeate effectively free from suspended solids, reducing disposal costs while generating valuable biogas.

 Severn Trent Water's Clowne, Derbyshire site needed to reduce total phosphorus from 1 mg/l to 0.2 mg/l and ammonia from 5 mg/l to 4 mg/l to meet Water Framework Directive requirements while handling increased wastewater loads. The constrained site had limited construction space and overhead power lines restricting operations. Veolia installed two MBBR systems designed with a smaller base and taller height to fit the limited space. Key results include reduced ammonia and phosphorus levels in final effluent, improved ecological condition protecting local river water quality, no need for sludge recirculation, additional capacity for future population growth, and delivery six weeks ahead of schedule.