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United Utilities has begun a £50 million upgrade to its wastewater treatment site at Macclesfield to add innovative biological treatment processes to remove phosphorus and ammonia.
It will be the first example of the technology being used in a sewage treatment site to meet lower nutrient level requirements that will come into play from 2024 as part of the Wastewater Framework Directive.
Alison Byrne, project manager at UU, explained investing in wastewater treatment was part of the company’s commitment to making its region greener, healthier and stronger.
She said: “It’s a challenging project as we have to ensure the new processes are installed offline while continuing to run the existing treatment works, but it’ll all be done within the current site footprint and with minimal impact to local residents.”
The Mobile Organic Biofilm technology uses a renewable plant material to digest sludge produced during the treatment process.
The technique will optimise the capacity at the site compared to traditional treatment, meaning the location can better serve the growing population.
The project is part of broader work by UU to improve river health across its region. Earlier this year, the company set out plans to invest £230 million in improving 184km of waterways in the north west through catchment management.
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