In 2006, we sized up and assisted with an installation of a new sewage treatment at a heritage site to update their foul drainage system. The site was a historic estate that had recently undergone renovations to its buildings and grounds. The new sewage treatment plant was designed to handle the wastewater from the estate’s buildings and grounds, which included several public restrooms, a cafe, and several residential buildings. The system was installed and was designed to meet all relevant regulations and standards.
After the plant was installed, Peak Associates were contracted to monitor the system and provide regular sample analysis to ensure that it was functioning correctly. We visited the site regularly to collect samples of the wastewater and analyse them for various parameters, including BOD, ammonia and solids.
Due to cutbacks and the EA not visiting the site, the monitoring was no longer commissioned. However, we received a call from the estate manager, who reported that the Environment Agency had visited the site and found a high ammonia and solids result in one of their effluent samples. We immediately sent a team to the site to investigate the issue. We collected samples from various points in the treatment system and analysed them at a laboratory.
We recommended several corrective actions to the estate manager to enable the system to meet the regulatory standards required by the water discharge permit. We also suggested implementing a more comprehensive monitoring and maintenance plan to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.
Overall, the incident highlighted the importance of regular monitoring and maintenance of wastewater treatment systems, even those that have been functioning well for years. It also demonstrated the value of our experienced and knowledgeable professionals who can identify and solve complex issues in these critical systems.
