Anglian Water’s @one Alliance has passed the halfway point on major upgrade work at its Water Recycling Centre (WRC) in Milton Keynes, to help protect local rivers, communities and improve water quality for years to come.
In 2023, the water company published its Thriving East report which found the East of England set to face critical challenges to its growth and prosperity over the next two decades – with a predicted 720,000 new residents moving into the region. As one of the country’s fastest-growing cities, Milton Keynes is predicted to be hit particularly hard.
The WRC began to show signs of struggling with an increased number of residents in the local area, which in turn, caused flooding to local parks and community spaces, while also having to meet with new Environment Agency requirements.
The investment at the WRC is worth over £20m and includes five different elements which come together to strengthen the water treatment process and increase the treatment capacity at the site.
The initial phase of the project involved installing new equipment to remove more phosphorous from treated water, helping to reduce algae growth and improve water quality in local rivers like the Great River Ouse.
Then in October last year, engineers finished building two new storm tanks and new storm pumps, increasing the amount of storm water that can be stored from 5,795m³ to around 20,500m³ – that’s the same as more than 250 thousand baths.
Inspections at the WRC identified that existing assets were underperforming due to increased demand. To enhance wastewater treatment capacity, the site’s sludge dewatering system is currently being upgraded.
The next stages of the scheme will include the installation of two new centrifuges with advanced dewatering capabilities, a modern conveyor system to streamline sludge transport, a polymer dosing system with a dedicated silo, and a new motor control centre for centralised monitoring and control.
Paul Didlick, Project Delivery Manager for the scheme, said:
“Schemes like this are vital to enable us to keep up with the growing population in Milton Keynes and the surrounding area. We’re pleased to say we’re making good progress on the project, making us prepared to protect the local environment for years to come.
“But our work won’t stop there, as part of our next business plan worth over £9bn our proposals will see us double our environment investment, making it our largest programme ever.”
Work is set to be completed by this summer and will reduce the risk of untreated wastewater spills from occurring during heavy rainfall and improve the water quality returning to the local environment.
This project will be completed by Anglian Water’s @one Alliance. The @one Alliance delivers complex engineering and construction projects across the Anglian Water region, utilising the skills and expertise provided by their seven partner organisations – specialising in the world of water.
