A pioneering new water filtration system has been successfully installed at a South Staffs Water treatment works, marking the completion of the final stage of a groundbreaking retrofit project.
The innovative ceramic-membrane filtration system, the first of its kind to be retrofitted at an existing water treatment facility in the UK, promises to enhance water quality, improve operational efficiency, and significantly reduce environmental impact.
The installation is part of a £63 million investment in water infrastructure improvements between 2020 and 2025 to modernize treatment works and clean 100 km of water mains. It has been supported by funding contributions from Severn Trent and the Green Recovery Fund from Ofwat.
“This system will allow us to continue to meet our commitment to customers to deliver clean, high-quality water that also enables us to reduce our carbon emissions,” said Elena Karpathakis, the utility’s newly appointed managing director. “The ceramic filter, which differs from traditional sand-filtration systems, is more environmentally friendly and it will allow us to save 1,000 tonnes of carbon a year.”
The final installation step involved fitting the last separation plates, allowing the site to fully transition from its legacy treatment process to the new technology.
Capital delivery director Robert Boswell praised the project team for ensuring uninterrupted service during construction. “We’re really proud of the people in our business who have successfully kept our water treatment works operating, ensuring that the water leaving the site is of the highest quality,” he said.
Looking ahead, South Staffordshire Plc plans to invest a further £926 million from 2025 to 2030 across South Staffs and Cambridge to secure water supplies, strengthen infrastructure resilience, and deliver environmental and service improvements.
