The successful trial of an alternative sludge dewatering technology to potentially replace existing centrifuge assets at South West Water’s Plymouth wastewater treatment works has demonstrated significant cost and energy savings,

Following the trial, water sector specialists HUBER Technology were asked to supply permanent HUBER Q-PRESS® units for both the site at Plymouth Central and the water company’s Maer Lane WWTW.

South West Water’s requirements were to find a more reliable and less labour intensive option to de-watering than a centrifuge with lowest Whole Life Costs, low operator attendance, simple odour control availability and simple operation.

HUBER worked closely with the water company’s preferred contractor Kier Utilities, undertaking trials to demonstrate the HUBER Q-PRESS® to South West Water operations who wanted to touch and feel the machine and satisfy themselves that the machine was simple, robust and easy to operate.

Kier Utilities were keen to do a whole life cost comparison and use trial data and tender price as a thorough whole life cost evaluation.

In the trial HUBER’s Q-PRESS® was demonstrated to have the lowest WLC, whole scheme capital cost and the lowest operating cost.

The trial data not only satisfied South West Water that this, the first of its kind in their region, was what they needed - it also provided hard data to confirm Whole Life Costs in terms of power and chemical consumption as well as enabling accurate sizing.

South West Water now have an alternative to centrifuges with a demonstrable WLC benefit.

With 1633 installations worldwide, including 21 in the UK, HUBER Technology have been working to establish the Q-PRESS® as the go to technology for sludge dewatering. The Q-PRESS® can typically deliver

• 40 % polymer saving
• 80 % power savings (typical)
• 50 % saving on annual operating costs

Commenting on the potential for the HUBER Q-PRESS® in the UK in AMP7, Mike Willis, HUBER’s Business Development Director said:

“We see the WLC benefits of the HUBER Q-PRESS® driving efficiencies in the sludge dewatering market as the cost of moving sludge is identified by OFWAT as a key efficiency driver."

During the PR19 price, review OFWAT is expecting water companies to account for the sludge business separately from their wastewater business. The OFWAT consultation document has already highlighted the potential efficiencies through transporting sludge.

Together with the focus on regarding sludge as an asset rather than a cost, this is likely to result in more sludge being moved as well as focusing on the cost to transport, which needs to be done at lowest TOTEX.

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