South West water recycling

26 July 2011

Branston has installed a £1 million water recycling plant at its South West site - and is already reducing its mains water usage by thousands of litres a day. The company has installed the water recycling plant and chilling system as part of its continuing commitment to the environment. Since the plant's installation, Branston is already saving 41 cubic metres of mains water every day - the equivalent of 230 baths or enough water to fill a large swimming pool.

Ian Wait, general manager at the site, said: "To wash potatoes which come into the plant from local producers, we were using a mix of borehole and mains water. This topped around 79 cubic metres each day - so we decided to look at the way we used water on site and how we could reduce our mains water usage.

"By working with several local agencies, we have successfully created a water recycling unit which, after just a few months of being up and running, is reducing our mains water usage by an incredible 52%.

"Not only that, but the plant has a specialised chilling system which keeps the water at 8 to 10 degrees Celsius which is the ideal temperature for washing potatoes."

Branston's new recycling system treats the waste water from washing potatoes by removing the soil. The water then passes through a state-of-the-art membrane bioreactor for further filtration. The recycled water is then stored and used on site to wash potatoes.

Branston fully expects mains water savings to increase over the coming months and is aiming for at least a 60% reduction. Not only is Branston now using less mains water for washing potatoes - but it is putting less effluent back into the public sewer. The recycling unit is also allowing Branston to improve the quality of the effluent.

Branston received £55,000 in European funding via the Water Adaptation is Valuable for Everybody (WAVE) partnership project supported by Somerset County Council and The UK Farming and Advisory Group (FWAG) which is helping Branston to reduce its effluent discharge.

Steve Dury, project manager at the council, said: "We work with farmers to help reduce water consumption. We are able to use the WAVE project to claim up to 50% of the costs back from Europe.

"Water consumption is something that farmers are becoming very aware of. Branston is one of five demonstration projects locally being funding through this particular project."

The water recycling plant is part of a larger commitment by Branston to make it more sustainable. It follows the success of Branston's site in Lincolnshire where a water recycling plant and anaerobic digestion plant have been installed.