Osprey Water Management News: 16th June 2006
Taken from Birmingham Post (Cities & Shires of the Midlands)
Osprey Water Management Takes a Look At the Need for Water Conservation
Once again, parts of the UK - particularly the South East - have been hit by water shortages resulting in hosepipe bans and some homeowners now face the potential prospect - for the first time since 1976 - of having to obtain water from stand pipes in the streets should the dry weather continue.
Jon Jinks, managing director of Shropshire-based Osprey Water Management takes a look at the need for water conservation and how our approach to this vital resource area and, recycling in general, needs to change.
Over the next decade we are going to undergo a radical change in our approach to recycling and the very idea of disposal is going to be regarded as old fashioned.
Currently, there is still this misconception that recycling is expensive because of the initial investment which may be needed. However, when savings from such an approach are taken over a two or three year period or more, the original capital investment becomes much lower in comparison.
The overall water infrastructure throughout the country is in a very poor state of repair with as much as a third of our domestic water leaking out of old delivery pipes prior to reaching our homes.
Water conservation policies vary from council to council throughout the UK. One of the most forward thinking is Birmingham City Council, which takes a pro-active approach to water management. Such a stance is clearly a sensible policy as the actions of councils tend to be examined under the public microscope far more than that of private clients.
We have recently been commissioned by Birmingham City Council to replace fixed speed water pumping stations at numerous municipal golf courses and install state-of-the-art variable speed pumping systems. These deliver water as and when required, saving considerable amounts of both water and electricity in the process - energy savings over a three year period usually cover the cost of the equipment!
Managers of both private and municipal golf courses are increasingly looking to water recycling and more efficient water management policies. This is hardly surprising when you consider that a typical course irrigation system has thousands of metres of underground pipework and poor or aged jointing will result in costly underground leaks.
However, a properly designed and installed course management system could half the water usage compared to an archaic one. Today, courses should be self sustaining when it comes to water usage. Generally, this is achieved by drilling bore holes in the ground and utilising water from there. However, this could end up being a short term fix, with The Environment Agency now being reluctant to renew abstraction licences in some areas. The long-term solution to the provision of sustainable water for irrigation and other non-drinking purposes lies with the harvesting of Grey Water.
Grey water harvesting is widely used in the United States and in Africa. There is no doubt that if the UK widely implemented such a policy there would not be a water shortage in the south east. Simply measures such as harvesting rainwater dripping from roofs into butts, through to catching drain water from sports arenas for recycling would make a significant difference. However, initially, there would need to be an investment in treatment equipment and winter storage facilities.
Increasingly, organisations are utilising closed-loop wastewater recycling systems when washing vehicles and equipment. This process is a biological wastewater treatment in which contaminants such as oil, grease, herbicides and pesticides are turned into carbon dioxide and water. This treated water can then be used over and over again making considerable water savings over the period of a year. Typical applications for this process include golf courses, agricultural, municipal and garage.
Unfortunately, there are far too many organisations not complying with existing legislation which prohibits the discharge of various chemicals and substances such as hydrocarbons into the foul drain.
Collectively wash bay areas across the Midlands waste millions of gallons of water a year by simplying turning a tap and lance on and allowing the water to go down the drain.
However, we are finding organisations are becoming far more receptive to environmentally friendly initiatives. As a company we became involved in the provision of washdown services because many of our clients asked for help in this area. Whilst the prospect of being fined for non compliance of the law may have influenced some to act, most simply wanted to reduce the impact of their activities on the environment and could also appreciate the cost savings which could be made over the next three to five years.
Water quality is also a major issue. For example, water features such as high volume fountains - equipped with aeration units - will help ensure the water is kept in clean and clear condition. By maximising the surface area for ingestion of oxygen, you are promoting the creation of aerobic bacteria, which facilities the cleaning of water to enable it to be clear.
Failure to provide such conditions results in water bodies 'dying' through a lack of oxygen resulting in the proliferation of anaerobic bacteria, which are poisonous and eventually result in smelly water.
A growing part of our business is managing water quality on behalf of organisations from the provision of industrial aerators though to glorious fountains with creative spray patterns.
My hope for the future is that government initiatives to protect the environment move on at a pace and that the education of companies and individuals make a difference to the long-term prospects of the planet. Afterall, we owe that to our children and generations to come.