Waste management company CSG – which will oversee the management of plant – hopes that the plant will boost wastewater treatment capacity for the region.
The treatment plant will accept domestic wastewater from thousands of septic tanks or cesspits from households, hotels and holiday parks.
In England and Wales, it is estimated that between 200,000 to 300,000 houses use septic tanks to dispose of their sewage, whilst the rest are connected to the mains sewer.
Steve Hicks, CSG operations director, said: “We are delighted that our Botley treatment plant is fully operational following an investment of more than £1 million.
“As a major operator dealing with 30,000 off-mains drainage households across the UK, we are fully aware of the septic tank crisis that continues to blight parts of the country. In Cornwall, for example, we have seen commercial waste contractors banned from using treatment works during wet weather. This has huge implications for the many people who live off-mains, some of which have been forced to leave their homes as they can’t use their toilets.
“Facilities such as this in Botley are required to ease the problem. This plant has large capacity and will make a significant difference.”
The site will produce soil fertiliser as a by-product to be used in food production. Wastewater will be separated from solids using centrifuge technologies. The sewage will be turned into a sanitised “cake” to be used in agriculture.
Hicks added: “This highly effective and sustainable fertiliser is a valuable resource, reducing dependence on imported fertiliser and maintaining the integrity and quality of our soils.”
CSG is headquartered in Fareham and employs 650 people and operates a 200-strong fleet. It specialises in chemical waste processing, wastewater engineering and industrial cleaning.
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