The company says it has spent more than £10 million in recent months to maintain services for customers during flooding and hopes it can use mobile biological treatment tanks to alleviate the impact of groundwater flooding on customers.
Groundwater levels in the South East have been at record highs after flooding this winter, leading to the company’s sewer network being inundated by millions of litres of water it was never designed to deal with.
Southern is the first company to trial technology in the UK. The tanks work by treating the excess wastewater being pumped out of sewers to a much higher standard than could previously be achieved, before returning it to the environment.
Phil Barker, Southern Water Director of Operations, said: “These new transportable tanks use bacteria to treat the flows from our pumps on site – something which has not been possible before.
“We estimate that each tank can improve the quality of the water treated by as much as 40 per cent. Importantly, the tanks also allow more oxygen to be applied during the treatment process, helping to maintain the natural balance of rivers and streams for local wildlife. We are trialling this innovative new approach, with a view to possibly using it on a wider scale in the future.”