Massive Thames Water treatment works upgrades steeled for success 22 April 2014

Thames Water is undertaking a £675m upgrade programme that includes a £200m expansion of the Crossness STW (sewage treatment works) and £190m expansion at its Beckton STW, the largest in the UK.

The upgrades are in response to new Environment Agency standards and the rising population around London as well as the increased frequency of heavy rainfall.

The scheme includes construction of a new wastewater treatment stream with primary settlement, aeration basins and final settlement tanks, as well as a more efficient anaerobic digestion plant.

The latter includes an improved sludge treatment process and a thermal hydrolysis plant, and the scheme also includes an upgrade of the existing works.

Additional odour control for both new and existing plant as well as additional environmental enhancements in the adjacent nature reserve will also be completed.

For each site, ECS Engineering Services is supplying access steelwork for the sludge blending tanks and for the sludge separators, which are located on a raised platform, designed and constructed by ECS.

Structural steel was designed and manufactured in the company's new fabrication facility at Fulwood, where it processes 180 tonnes of structural steel every week, using plasma cutting, machining and welding equipment along with 75 tonnes of lifting capacity.

For the sludge mixing steelwork, for example, a stairway leads to a gangway that allows access to each of five tanks on three levels. Measuring over 16m in length and rising to more than 7m in height, the access platforms allow safe access to all of the tanks.

In the case of the raised platform for the sludge separators, the requirements were slightly different. This structure, measuring 6.4m x 8.8m, had to support the weight of the separators themselves as well as the associated pipework, while also incorporating davit sockets to locate mobile lifting equipment and stands for the control panels.

Located on a sloping concrete pad, the steelwork had to be manufactured to ensure that the raised platform was level when assembled on site.

"The assembly work requires careful planning and strict method statements to ensure that everyone works safely during the project," comments Jamie Wesley, Commercial Manager at ECS.

"Once they are complete, the access structures will provide safe and easy access to the plant and equipment for many years to come."

The project at Crossness will increase capacity by 44%, while the Beckton improvements will enable treatment of 60% more sewage than previously and, when combined, also greatly reducing storm flow discharges into the Thames.

Brian Tinham

This material is protected by MA Business copyright
See Terms and Conditions.
One-off usage is permitted but bulk copying is not.
For multiple copies contact the sales team.