Scottish Water looks to make wastewater treatment works permanent

The work aims to improve the plant’s operations and reduce odours. It also follows the introduction of a new treatment centrifuging process in the second quarter of 2011 by Scottish Water and Saur Services Glasgow.

According to SW, the centrifuging process has been running successfully during the past 18 months from a temporary building. The process uses large spin-dryers which dry off water from liquid sludge to produce a sludge cake and ensure that the sludge is in a suitable state to go to land reclamation.

SW added that the temporary centrifuge system at Dalmuir had improved the sludge management process and as a result it would now like to make the facility permanent. This requires the construction of a building for the system and a de-odourising unit along with other operational facilities.

SW community and public affairs manager Judy Wakker, said: “The planned investment, which is subject to us receiving the relevant planning permission, would provide further significant improvements to the Dalmuir WWTW and follows a pledge by Scottish Water that we would continue to work to address odour at the WWTW after recent progress in tackling the issue.”

The investment also includes a process which SW says will improve the quality of waste water it discharges from the WWTW under licence from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) into the River Clyde. However, SW told edieWater the financial figure for investment had not yet been confirmed.

SW has estimated the work will take two years to complete and plans are being discussed with West Dunbartonshire Council and other key organisations such as SEPA and Scottish Natural Heritage.

Carys Matthews