Innovative alternative to septic tanks is a European first for United Utilities

United Utilities has become the first water company in Europe to introduce an innovative low carbon, chemical-free wastewater treatment process for use at small sites.

The FujiClean system was developed in Japan to provide an alternative to septic tanks and is widely applied there as well as in the US and Australia. It is typically used for domestic properties and facilities such as camp sites that aren’t connected to a sewer network.

Earlier this year United Utilities became the first water company in Europe to collaborate with Fujiclean and quickly deployed their CEN unit at a site in Shropshire. Fujiclean also offered an even more innovative option with a solution for chemical free phosphorus removal inside, the CRX model. The United Utilities team moved quickly to get this on test and de-risk the technology. Now, after a successful trial an initial batch of 11 FujiClean CRX units are set to be installed at small sites across the North West where septic tanks have previously been used.

It is understood to be the first time the system has been used on municipal wastewater in Europe.

Lisa Mansell, Chief Engineer, Innovation and Carbon at United Utilities explained: “We are always looking for ways both to enhance the wastewater treatment process and reduce the use of chemicals – FujiClean does both.

“We have a large number of small sites where septic tanks are used. The septic tank process hasn’t significantly evolved for many years but now the FujiClean system offers a much more enhanced wastewater treatment option that provides phosphorus removal without the use of chemicals.

“The final effluent is much better quality and we can now remove phosphorus in the same system. An added benefit of the design is that it doesn’t need emptying as much, this combined with not needing chemical deliveries means fewer vehicle movements to our small sites – a win for the environment and rural communities.”

After discovering the CRX system, the Engineering Innovation team at United Utilities spent almost a year working with both FujiClean in Japan and UK distributors Haigh evaluating the system at Glazebury WasteWater Treatment Works in Cheshire.

Luke Shepherd, Director at Haigh said: “The passion we have seen from the United Utilities teams over the entire course of the FujiClean CEN deployment and CRX trial has been incredible. While the team here at Haigh have had confidence in the FujiClean systems, the United Utilities approach to getting the initial project delivered, properly and promptly means there is now an incredible amount of data around the technology with effluent treatment performance results even surprising the system manufacturers.”

The first two FujiClean CRX units to be used in a live environment have now been installed by United Utilities’ engineering and capital delivery teams at a site in Whitegate in Cheshire, with further  units due for delivery and deployment at sites across the region.