Black and Veatch and Dawson WAM are making good progress at a number of rural sites in Northern Ireland for the Water Service Northern Region Integrated Wastewater Treatment Framework.

Black and Veatch, a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company, and its joint venture partner Dawson WAM are making good progress at a number of rural sites in Northern Ireland for the Water Service Northern Region Integrated Wastewater Treatment Framework. Enabling Water Service to reduce the number of small works by redirecting flows to suitably upgraded Wastewater Treatment Works, Loughguile is a fitting example of the type of small-to-medium wastewater projects being undertaken by Black and Veatch, which includes the entire civil, mechanical, electrical and process design - as well as off-site pumping stations, hydraulics and sewerage infrastructure. The decision to contract local companies for completing the projects has provided Water Service with enhanced value, competitive costs and on-time project completions.

In addition, the upgraded systems at Loughguile will employ membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology providing substantially better final effluent quality than conventional secondary treatment.

'Black and Veatch prides itself on our ability to draw upon the best resources to support our clients' needs,' said Niall Rogers, Black and Veatch Project Manager for the Loughguile project.

'The Loughguile project is an excellent example of our ability to bring together some of the best contractors within Northern Ireland to complete this challenging work.' A WWTW serving 30 dwellings at nearby Ballyknock is being decommissioned and replaced by a new pumping station that will direct flows through a new 1,700m pipeline to Loughguile, which serves a 2006 PE of 869 and 2030 enhanced PE of 1,353.

Rogers said what makes the project challenging is the requirement to minimise the visual impact of the new works, so the MBR structures have been built substantially below ground.

In addition, construction must remain within the boundaries of the existing site while the current WwTW stay online and within compliance throughout the construction period.

With space at such a premium on the site, Black and Veatch has been renting part of a farmer's land, which sits adjacent to the treatment plant - an arrangement that has proved mutually beneficial and an example of the importance of working with the community.

'Our success to date is a direct result of good communication among the many project teams and contractors,' Rogers said.

'In addition, open dialogue helps support the local communities at every level.

Working with local businesses and contractors means that residents understand and can discuss the project with team members as opposed to having a faceless workforce on the other side of the fence'.

At the Loughguile wastewater treatment works, control panels and electrical installation have been supplied locally by TES (NI) of Cookstown, whilst mechanical plant installation has been carried out by Shaw Automation Company of Ballymena.

Generators have been brought in from A1 Power Systems of Cookstown, whilst lifting equipment is from Heyn Engineering of Belfast and MBR Installation by Copa Wastewater Controls.

In addition, all fixings and fittings are supplied locally and 'off the shelf,' helping Black and Veatch keep costs competitive and deliver on time.