Thames Water invests in sustainable reed bed system

Thames Water has invested in the installation of a reed bed system to help manage wastewater at its treatment facility in Uffington, Oxfordshire.


The water utility company chose ARM Reed Beds, to design, build and install a new Forced Bed Aeration (FBA) reed bed system which has all the benefits of a passive reed bed but can treat larger quantities of effluent with a smaller footprint.

The new bed allows Thames Water to treat an extra daily flow of 174m3 of effluent, which, if required, can be increased to a maximum capacity of 347m3 during peak times.

Thames Water project manager Terry Marsh said: “Work on site started at the end of February and the new FBA reed bed and level control direction chamber had been successfully installed by the end of March. The whole process was straightforward and we are very happy with the results.”

The company claims its latest investment will enable it to continue with its commitment to source ecological, cost-effective methods of wastewater treatment.

ARM director Tori Sellers said: “Over the past decade reed beds have become a popular alternative method of treating wastewater due to their low-energy requirement, sustainability, habitat creation and versatility.”

“By using FBA technology it will be able to achieve a performance which would have been unattainable through a passive reed beds system due to amount and type of effluent it needed to treat.”

Conor McGlone

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