Tristan Hughes is the Business Unit Manager for water service provider OSSO
The United Kingdom is the fifth largest average precipitation in Europe Although frequently complained about, the steady supply of rainfall is critical to the country’s water supply. But it also poses great challenges. The duty of care of any construction company or building owner to ensure that waste water meets established criteria is well recognised. However, the Environment Agency has administered a number of substantial fines in recent years for water pollution incidents, raising questions about whether the industry has fully come to terms with wastewater management.
In recent years, pressures ranging from a growing population to climate change have put the spotlight on water like never before. Questions about the quality, quantity and reliability of clean water in the UK have dominated the headlines this summer, in a situation described by the Environment Agency as existential threat So what does this mean for construction?
Court of public opinion
Water pollution incidents face unprecedented levels of scrutiny. Fines for construction breaches are growing, but environmental agencies still lack the teeth to seriously damage the bottom line or change the practices of the big players. Citizens are often the first to become aware of environmental violations, and it could be the court of public opinion that hurts construction companies the most.
“Standalone water management products can add extra rigor to the water treatment process at a time when that’s exactly what’s needed”
A major pollution incident at a community natural site could turn a trusted business into public enemy number one overnight. Many tender documents now require construction companies to disclose any association with pollution-related events, and there is a real risk of losing more business if a company has lost credibility due to perceived negligence.
So why do these errors happen? When I talk to construction companies, a common theme is uncertainty about what effective water management should look like. Although an environmental specialist may be working closely with one project, their scope covers a huge area; a full appreciation of best practices and available solutions may be lacking.
What companies often need is to review a site, break down the main contamination risks and determine what measures and technologies are necessary for a safe project. With the right technology, even key elements of the water management process can be automated. This allows companies to monitor wastewater on-site and automatically treat it with reagents to ensure it can be released back into the environment safely and compliantly, while eliminating the risk of costly errors .
Adding stand-alone solutions to the construction water management product portfolio can add additional rigor to the water treatment process at a time when this is exactly what the industry needs. But the key to all of this is to develop a specific strategy for each project, ensuring that a thorough assessment has been done to avoid falling into unexpected incidents.
Dust suppression
It is not only wastewater that poses new challenges due to climate change. With the surface almost bone dry after a very dry winter, during this year’s summer months attention was notably focused on dust management, a nuisance for anyone who lives, works or run a business near a construction site, and a target for complaints and community action if not managed. With no natural source of water for dust suppression, contractors have been left scratching their heads as to where it is obtained.
Some well-prepared sites have been collecting water in their mitigation lagoons, choosing not to treat and dispose off-site, but paying close attention to storage volumes and managing their levels to ensure environmental compliance. But for those places where space is at a premium and attenuation gaps are a luxury, or others where adequate foresight has unfortunately been lacking, finding a suitable water source has moved up the agenda.
Transporting potable water on a project can be exorbitant and the carbon footprint is high. A much more sustainable approach is to review the on-site processes that produce greywater and assess the feasibility of treating it for reuse in dust suppression.
As a byproduct, greywater sometimes contains more than one pollutant of concern, making it difficult to find an appropriate use. This is another area where technology can make a difference. Solutions developed for the removal of Suspended solids in wastewater can be adjusted, and with small adjustments, the unit can be used to target certain heavy metals in greywater, confirming suitability for dust suppression. The benefits of this are two-fold: supporting construction companies to operate more cost-effectively and sustainably, while protecting vital water resources.
In the midst of a changing landscape, it will be crucial to commit to best practices, deploy appropriate technologies and adopt effective water management. I am sure that this change is happening, and the ever-increasing pressure on water resources will ensure that it does.
