DUNFERMLINE, Scotland — Nov. 19, 2015 — Scottish Water has opened two full-scale facilities for testing water and wastewater technologies, according to a press release.
Funded by a £1.6 million ($2.4 million) grant from the Scottish Government, the two development centers within treatment works can be used by companies to test new equipment, products and processes for potential use in the water industry, noted the release.
One of the new development centers is located within a former water treatment works at Gorthleck in the Highlands, and will be used to support innovation in potable water treatment, stated the release. The facility has its own feed of raw water, with sampling collection and analysis available from Scottish Water’s accredited laboratories.
The second facility is located next to Scottish Water’s existing wastewater treatment works at Bo’ness near Falkirk, and will be used for testing new wastewater technologies, reported the release.
Trials at the new facilities will be overseen by Scottish Water. Water used for testing at Gorthleck will not be supplied to customers but will be safely returned to the environment, shared the release. At at Bo’ness, any wastewater used for testing will go through the normal treatment process before it is safely returned to the environment in the normal way.
Andrew Macdonald, head of Scottish Water Horizons, the water utility’s commercial subsidiary, said in the release that the development centers meet a need in the industry for dedicated facilities where new equipment and technologies can be tested.
“What’s really unique about our development centers is that they are located within an actual and former treatment works — meaning they are not only the first dedicated testing facilities of their kind in Scotland, but also the first on an operational scale.
“The treatment of water and wastewater can be energy intensive and costly. Our development centers at Gorthleck and Bo’ness will offer companies in the water industry an opportunity to test new processes and equipment which could potentially be more effective and produce savings for customers,” Macdonald added in the release.
You can find the entire release here.
