Aquabio secures major contract with Dairy Crest in the UK

Aquabio, part of Freudenberg Filtration Technologies and a market leader in the reuse of industrial water, has been awarded a £3.5 million contract for a wastewater treatment and water reuse plant at Dairy Crest's Severnside Dairy in Gloucester, in the UK. Dairy Crest is a leading British dairy company and one of the UK's largest purchasers of fresh milk, buying around 2 billion litres every year.

The cutting-edge wastewater plant, which will take 15 months to complete, will treat wastewater discharged to the local watercourse and additional treatment to ultra-pure quality for reuse.

The new plant at Severnside will use Aquabio's AMBR LE™ industrial membrane bioreactor and is the largest application of its kind in the UK. AMBR LE™ with reverse osmosis processes produces effluent of a high enough quality to be re-used in industrial application, or discharged to stringent watercourse requirements.

Some 60 percent of wastewater at the new plant will be treated to potable standards for reuse. The plant will have the capacity to recycle 550 million litres of water per year, enough water to supply the daily demands of over 10,000 people.

The plant will be Aquabio's largest AMBR LE™ treatment and reuse plant to date, further establishing Aquabio as a market leader in effluent reuse in the food and drink industry. It will attract Government Enhanced Capital Allowance, a key part of the UK Government's programme to encourage investment in resource efficient equipment. The allowance provides businesses with enhanced tax relief for investments in equipment that meet published energy saving criteria.

The new plant will bring many benefits to Dairy Crest, including a cost reduction for water supply and effluent discharge, security and sustainability of the water supply, and a reduced water footprint.

Aquabio’s Managing Director, Steve Goodwin, said: 'Dairy Crest is making a significant investment at Severnside to improve wastewater quality and water recycling. Aquabio’s 12-year track record of providing large-scale water reuse in the UK food and beverage sector, low-energy technology and high engineering standards were important factors in the decision-making process, and we are extremely proud to be working with Dairy Crest on this project.'

Aquabio Ltd provides advice, process and engineering design, specialist equipment supply and project management for water and wastewater treatment and reuse systems, serving a variety of industries including food and drink, biofuels, pulp and paper, landfill and leachate and pharmaceuticals.