Site Water Treatment For River Tyne Engineering Works
Project Overview
A partnership involving Mott McDonald Bentley (MMB), Southbay Civil Engineering, RVT Group and EnviroHub ensured the River Tyne was protected during the construction phase of Northumbrian Water’s £11million Eel Screen and raw water intake upgrade.
Challenge
Northumbrian Water commissioned an important environmental upgrade at the Ovingham raw water pumping station on the River Tyne. The objective was to install advanced fish-exclusion screens designed to protect aquatic life—specifically to support the recovery of eel stocks—by enabling safe upstream migration.
While the project’s goal was ecological protection, the construction method itself posed a significant water management risk. The design required the installation of numerous large-diameter piles (1220mm and 660mm) within the new structure.
The piling process involved flushing river water into the piles during drilling, generating a massive volume of drilling effluent. MMB identified early on that standard settlement methods would not suffice:
- High Flow Volumes: The system had to manage variable surge rates of up to 350m³/h. The water had to be contained, treated, and monitored before being released back to the river.
- Strict Compliance: The Environment Agency granted a discharge permit with non-negotiable limits to protect the river’s ecology:
- pH: Must remain between 6 and 9.
- Suspended Solids (TSS): Must be maintained at 50mg/l or below.
- Site Constraints: The equipment needed to fit within a small site footprint with limited access, all while ensuring visually clean water was discharged immediately back into the river.
Solution
To ensure 100% environmental compliance throughout the heavy engineering works, the contractor engaged technical consultants from RVT Group, the construction hire partner for EnviroHub.
Through online meetings and site surveys, the teams collaborated to design a bespoke treatment system capable of handling the high hydraulic load while operating within the site’s tight physical constraints.
The agreed solution utilised the EnviroHub® modular system, made by Atlantic Pumps, to provide an end-to-end multi-stage treatment process:
- Chemical Conditioning: EnviroHub® TU02 Dosing Units were deployed to monitor flow and proportional dose flocculants and pH correctors.
- Agitation & Reaction: EnviroHub® TT10 Treatment Tanks provided the necessary mixing energy to bind fine drilling solids into larger flocs.
- High-Speed Settlement: EnviroHub® HL50 Lamella Plate Settlement Tanks were installed to rapidly separate the solids from the water.
The lamella plates massively increase the effective settling area, allowing the system to handle the 350m³/h flow in a fraction of the space required by traditional settlement lagoons and thickening tanks
Containment and monitoring
RVT Group designed and commissioned the full package, which consisted of holding tanks, generators, pumps, pipework, and monitoring probes (turbidity and pH).
Results
The system successfully treated the piling effluent, ensuring that all environmental commitments were met. The discharge remained visually clear and within the strict parameters of the EA permit (pH 6-9, TSS <50mg/l) throughout the construction phase, protecting the River Tyne’s ecosystem and water quality while these valuable infrastructure works proceeded on schedule.
On-site, real-time treatment saved the carbon and financial cost of taking the water off-site.
Having one company provide the full service for the water treatment and monitoring marked clear boundaries of responsibility, enabling each partner to focus on their area of expertise.
The net result was large-scale infrastructure improvements to be completed on time, with no environmental harm for the piling activity. Migratory Eels and fish are protected from the raw water intake, providing long-term benefits for ecology and the region’s water supply.
To discuss EnviroHub modular water treatment systems for your application, contact Atlantic Pumps for purchase options and RVT Group for hire solutions.
