Recycled water used to fight forest fires
CLEANED WASTE WATER WAS DESTINED TO BE PUT BACK IN RIVER
SEVERN Trent has helped fire crews battle huge blazes in Staffordshire by using recycled water to fight the flames.
The company delivered tankers of raw water earlier this month that had been cleaned, ready to be put back into the river, to help crews put out a major forest fire near Alton Towers.
The blaze took several days to extinguish, having taken hold on Monday, July 2.
Wayne Earp, from Severn Trent said: “It’s really important that we support the emergency services however we can, and it’s essential they have enough water to help fight the challenging fire in the Moorlands.
“When it comes to putting out fires, any kind of water does the job. So instead of taking water from the reservoir that we clean and supply our customers with, we’re now delivering tankers of clean, raw water that was destined for the river.”
Raw water is defined by the firm as waste water that’s gone through the waste treatment process so that it is clean and ready to go back into the river.
Severn Trent, which provides sewerage services for Uttoxeter and water services for Sudbury and Doveridge, has been delivering tankers, which hold up to 28,000 litres of cleaned raw water.
The move doubled Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s capacity as it tackled the blaze, as well as two others in the Moorlands near Thorncliffe and Lady Edge.
Mr Earp said: “It’s great that we’re able to support the fire service and save water at the same time.
“At the moment, we’re encouraging all our customers to be water wise during the heatwave, so it’s only right that we do the same and find different ways to save water in these conditions.”
Severn Trent says demand for water is “significantly high,” and is producing an extra 300 million litres of water a day to help keep taps flowing.
The company says although there is plenty of water in its reservoirs, this still needs to be treated and the pipes are currently distributing as much as they can during peak demand.
Mr Earp said: “Water is a precious re roke ut ss ha a mile ro Alto tNews wers this th resource, and it’s really important that we look after it.
“By getting into good water saving habits, we’re making sure everyone has water during periods of high demand during the hot weather for important things like keeping hydrated, and also means it’s there for emergency services should they need it.”