Northumbrian Water coastal programme : nine scrubbers for the price of eight

Under the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, Northumbrian Water have to provide full sewage treatment at eight coastal sites for 1999/2000 deadlines. As part of the consequent standardisation programme, NWL appointed Entec to co-ordinate odour containment, ventilation and abatement at all eight sites. Following trials and a review of options, NWL specified the ICI “Odorgard” catalytic single stage scrubber as the standard abatement method. Tenders were sought using ECC Option A (activity schedules) conditions of contract from the three licensees. Costs were identified for anticipated odour loads/installation programmes to maximise “bulk discount” opportunities, culminating in simultaneous contracts being let to ERG for all eight sites. This represents the largest known multi-site odour abatement award in the water industry to date effectively giving discounts equivalent to the cost of the ninth scrubber. Further advantages of the bulk purchase included common operational procedures/spares and the ability to apply lessons being learnt from commissioning of prior scrubber installations.