UK -- Wessex Water has become the first UK water company to trial ‘Shade Balls’ at its Didmarton water recycling center in Gloucestershire.
The water and sewerage company has experienced algal blooms in its final effluent tertiary lagoon for years, which has led to a long history of suspended solids sample failures.
After trying various strategies to prevent algal blooms, Wessex Water recently covered the lagoon in Shade Balls – an innovative technology that blocks UV rays and has been shown to reduce algae growth in bodies of water.
Sophie Ward, assistant treatment manager at Wessex Water, said: “In recent years, various technologies and strategies have been used to maintain compliance at Didmarton WRC.
“This trial has the potential to be a viable long-term solution to the site’s algae issue and we look forward to seeing what data the trial produces.”
Shade Balls are used by other water companies internationally, but Wessex Water is the first UK water company to adopt the technology.
Sophie added: “If the trial proves successful, then Shade Balls have the potential to be rolled out across the business at both our supply and waste sites.
“The technology is recyclable and has a 10-year guarantee, with other sites seeing no deterioration in the quality of the product to date with the supplier being confident that they do not perish.”
