Press release April 2002

Fenland develops unique non-chemical sewage treatment system for individual premises

Fenland Hydrotech, a firm of consulting engineers specialising in water engineering, has developed a new and unique solution to the problem of sewage treatment at premises that cannot be connected to main sewerage networks or septic tanks. The system is fully aerobic, non-chemical, environmentally friendly and odour-free; it takes up less space than similar systems, can be installed above or below ground, and requires minimal maintenance.

Fenland developed the system to solve a problem posed by a customer who had purchased a cottage converted from an old commercial building, built on rock and with no connections to a main sewer. It employs the technology used in large urban sewage treatment systems and applies it on a small scale, mixing incoming waste products with activated sludge and using a continuous stream of air bubbles to agitate the mix and keep bacteria constantly moving. Traditional systems working on the mechanical Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC) principle can allow anaerobic bacteria to breed in the inlet section of the plant, causing unpleasant odours which must be vented into the environment. As the customer's cottage is very close to other buildings, this would have been unacceptable; the Fenland system's continuous oxygenation process eliminated the problem as it is virtually odour free.

When the contents of the receiving tank have been broken down by biological action the mixture moves into a settlement tank, where the activated sludge settles to the bottom. Clean water rises to the top of the settlement tank and is removed to an outside drain, and the activated sludge is pumped back into the receiving tank.

Fenland Hydrotech managing director Stephen Winpenny says that the unit has been operating trouble-free for 18 months. "It has coped perfectly well with excreta, toilet tissues and biological kitchen waste such as potato peelings, and the electricity required to run its aerator and pump has cost no more than a light bulb," he claims. "We can now confidently offer this solution to anyone who, for whatever reason, cannot connect to a main sewer or install a septic tank."

The unit in this instance was installed above ground and measures only 6ft x 6ft x 2ft, compared with typical RBC systems' 8ft x 4ft x 4ft. It complies with relevant Environment Agency requirements and building regulations and is fully automatic and quiet in operation; its aerator works continuously, and a timer activates the pump for a few minutes every couple of hours.

For commercial enquiries about the system, please contact Fenland on 01832 734612.