FLOW SURVEY IMPLEMENTED FOR NWF GROUP

NWF Group has appointed Detectronic to deliver a surface water flow survey at their headquarters in Nantwich.

The three companies on site owned by the group supply a comprehensive range of fuel, feed and food products, nationally, throughout England, Scotland and Wales to domestic, agricultural, commercial and retail customers.

Occupying a substantial 48,000 hectares site in rural Cheshire, the company has recently found itself facing the prospect of a new neighbour in the shape of a small industrial estate. The planned estate will surround the NWF Group plant, which is not on mains sewage, and potentially affect how the company manages surface water.

improving environmental credentials

As a result of the proposed infrastructure changes associated with the new industrial estate, NWF Group seized the opportunity to further improve its environmental credentials by analysing its surface & storm water discharges in much more detail with a view to reducing the amount of water that is discharged.

Explains Phill Tuxford, technical support manager for Detectronic: “NWF Group already has a highly efficient sewage treatment works on site, solids are removed every six months from two substantial cess pits and surface & storm water is emptied into the Shropshire Union canal. By implementing a flow survey, the aim was to better understand these specific discharges and potentially redirect them to the on-site treatment works. This could reduce volumes going into the canal and ultimately deliver cost savings.

Flow survey

“Following several site visits where we met with Phil Williams, site services manager for NWF Group, we designed a bespoke, 8-week flow survey and consequently installed four of our MSFM waste water flow meters and one rain gauge at strategic locations.

“Our MSFM waste water flow meters monitored and logged data at the output of two large surface water channels – one 600mm and one 900m – along with the main sewage channel and also at the output for a neighbouring reed bed. The rain gauge was installed on the main office block to record rainfall for comparative purposes.”

Continues Phill: “Over the survey period we visited site on a regular basis to maintain the equipment and ensure it was functioning at an optimum. Once the monitoring was complete, our highly skilled data analysts prepared a report which we presented to Phil and his team.

“One of the key outcomes generated, during an unseasonably wet summer, was surface water of over 5 million litres per day on the wettest day. This has led to discussions around the potential implementation of a hydro electric generator on the site.”

Concludes Phil Williams, site services manager for NWF Group: “We had a good cross section of weather during the survey period, from torrential downpours to a mini-heatwave, so the equipment was well and truly tested! As a result of the flow survey, we now have a substantial amount of detailed information at our fingertips. This will enable us to explore and plan the best options moving forward and also to discuss our specific requirements with the management team tasked with delivering the new industrial estate.”

Ends.