We’re improving our Wastewater Treatment site at Horsham
This upgrade to existing facilities will improve efficiency and will also include new machinery, the replacement and refurbishment of existing equipment, and control and monitoring systems.
We’re working with our valued partner CMDP to undertake this project. CMDP is a joint venture between Costain, a smart infrastructure solutions provider and MWH Treatment, a leading UK water industry design and delivery specialist. The scheme will have minimal ecological impact to the surrounding environment – as the work is taking place on our existing site.
There are several benefits to customers in and around the local area, including and ensuring the safe disposal of treated wastewater back into the river Arun for years to come. This will also include landscaping and habitat enhancements that will ensure an overall 9% gain in biodiversity (animals, plants, and fungi) within the site. There will be no visible alterations to the existing landscape that can currently be seen from the surrounding area or from the A24 either.
What work will we be carrying out?
Growth
We are increasing the sites treatment capacity. New treatment processes are always designed with future population growth in mind. We have designed the improvements for the expected increase in population up to 2035. The improvements also cater for the transfer of flows from three catchment treatment works from Mannings Heath, Warnham and Faygate.
Quality
As set out by the Environment Agency we are required to improve the quality of the water returning to the environment. Horsham discharges into the river Arun. The scheme will reduce the level of Phosphate returning to the Arun which needs to be completed by December 2024.
Capital Maintenance
We are replacing the critical assets identified across the site to achieve the Growth and Quality aspects.
The project touches every part of the treatment process across the site which will also include landscaping and habitat enhancements that will ensure an overall 9% gain in biodiversity (animals, plants, and fungi) within the site boundary.
When will this work start?
Construction work began in September 2022 and is expected to be completed in late 2024.
How will the work impact on me?
Whilst there will be no visible alterations to the existing landscape that can currently be seen from the surrounding area or from the A24 either, the project team have been engaging within the local community in several different ways.
- Local suppliers are being used “where possible” within a 30-mile radius of the site, For example, the project team have utilised a crane supplier based in Southwater, Horsham, rather than a national supplier utilised previously along with recruitment of an Apprentice Civil Engineer recruited from the Sussex area.
Community Grants
- CMDP awarded a grant of £1,000 to help local charity Horsham Matters with its winter energy bills, as part of Southern Water’s Community Energy Grant initiative.
Volunteering
- Supported local homeless charity Turning Tides, with site staff volunteering on multiple occasions to assist with the redevelopment of Roffey Place in Horsham.
- Assisted QEII Silver Jubilee School in Horsham by clearing overgrown vegetation, to allow for the erection of some sheds for pupils.
- Assisted ‘Ten Little Toes’ charity organisation who has recently relocated by clearing their gardens of overgrown vegetation.
Educational Engagement
- Assisted Southern Water’s wider educational efforts by supporting the delivery of the Water Supply Challenge game at St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School in Horsham, plus a Waterwise talk to the 4th Horsham Scouts.
- Attended the Festival of Science Careers Fayre at Collyers’ College in Horsham.
- Educational engagement efforts were supplemented using supporting material directly relevant to the project – e.g., drone footage from site and Vlogs produced by the project’s apprentice civil engineer and posted on Social Media.
Stakeholder Engagement/visits
- Hosted site visits and briefings for stakeholders and organisations, including Jeremy Quin MP, Member of Parliament for Horsham, Peter Bottomley MP, Member of Parliament for West Worthing, directors from the Environment Agency, staff from Horsham District Council and Southern Water’s Executive Management Team.
- Met with representatives of Warnham Nature Reserve in Horsham, to explore opportunities for partnership working and their desire for their Visitor Centre to be “off grid”.
Where can you find out more information on the work?
We welcome any questions you may have, please email Southern Water Project Manager Jonathan.Quirk@southernwater.co.uk