2002-07-17 - The government’s statutory deadline for the completion of the “appropriate” treatment of secondary discharges is 2005. Which in effect gives the industry just four years to complete its programme.
The targets that have been set are stringent and there is the additional burden that the government has stated that it wishes the management of the programme to be more transparent than hitherto. The Urban Waste Water Directive aims to protect surface inland waters and coastal waters by regulating collection and treatment of urban waste water and of certain biodegradable industrial waste waters. Depending on the sensitivity of receiving waters, the Directive requires secondary biological treatment prior to discharge. Although some emissions may require tertiary treatment for discharges to water bodies are or are likely to become, eutrophic.
In broad terms, ministers expect that chemical analytical technology will be the main method to be deployed to analyse and monitor levels of nominated chemicals such as phosphorous, nitrogen and nitrates. They also expect water companies to make a significant investment in this technology.
In addition DEFRA through the Environment Agency, has issued guidelines on the issue of measuring and monitoring effluent flows at sewage treatment works.
Although the Environment Agency will audit the performance of water companies in these areas, the government will abide by the principle of selfmonitoring. This puts the onus on the water companies to ensure that the instrumentation they use is both competent and cost-effective. As the largest and most experienced analytical and flow measurement partner to the UK water industry, ABB is well placed to advise on the most efficient and cost-effective solutions and to install, commission and configure the most appropriate products.