Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has submitted plans to install 20,000 solar panels to generate renewable energy at its Five Fords wastewater treatment works nr Marchwiel, Wrexham.
Plans have now been submitted to Wrexham County Borough Council which outlines the utility company’s proposals to install the 20,000 solar panels on land within the boundary of the treatment works and on adjoining land in its ownership.
The treatment works - which benefited from an investment of £23 million to install Anaerobic Digesters in 2012 - is the company’s largest treatment works in north Wales, serving a population of 96 thousand households. The proposed solar panels will generate 4.8MW of energy – which is enough to power 1500 homes.
The company said the plans will play a key part in helping the company become more self-sufficient in energy generation and reduce its carbon footprint. It will also benefit customers by reducing overall operating costs.
Mike Pedley, Dŵr Cymru’s Head of Energy said:
“The proposed solar panels at Five Fords will help to reduce our carbon footprint and benefit the environment as we become more self sufficient moving into the future. We have set an ambitious target to reduce this footprint by 25% by 2015.”
“The treatment and transportation of drinking water and wastewater are energy intensive processes which are reflected in our annual energy bill of over £40 million. By generating our own energy we can reduce our operating costs which will then help to keep our customers bills as low as possible.”
The solar panels will have a 20 year operational life span - after which they will either be renewed or the land will be returned to agricultural land.
With the UK government demanding a 50% reduction in storm overflow spills by 2029, the era of reactive management is over. Speaking in the House of Commons on 21 July 2025, then environment secretary Steve Reed said, “This Government will cut water companies’ sewage pollution in half by the end of the decade.”
ERG, the leading supplier of odour control systems and industrial gas cleaning & thermal systems, has been awarded the coveted King’s Award for Enterprise.
Welsh Water’s new artificial intelligence-driven tool, ORAI, has been shortlisted for three categories at the prestigious British Data Awards 2026 – underscoring the company’s commitment to using cutting-edge technology to deliver better outcome for customers.
Barhale has completed work on two separate Rapid Action Taskforce Spills projects it is carrying out for Severn Trent.
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.
Find out more about the remarkable career opportunities on offer at WSP - scroll down to watch the inspirational video.