What Exactly Is Waste, Anyway?
Water companies and regulators have come under intense pressure in recent weeks and months amidst allegations of raw sewage being pumped into our lakes, rivers, and seas. Mark Fowles, of William Gilder Group, looks to challenge the perception of ‘waste’ and lift the lid on the perceived murky world of wastewater.
Recent headlines surrounding sewage pollution in our waterways give the impression that not enough care is being taken by various groups to prevent untreated wastewater entering the system. However, it is far from being that straightforward.
Wastewater can be broken down into two categories – sewage and non-sewage wastewater – with a third category, storm wastewater, sometimes included. The terms blackwater and greywater are also used in some circles to describe the level of contamination. Understanding responsibilities and requirements for each of these has been complicated for a number of reasons, but it has resulted in the unearthing of a foundation upon which collaborative procedures can be built.
Generally speaking, the UK is one of the pioneers of treating wastewater for reuse. Thames Water, the largest of the country’s water companies, treated some 4.6billion litres of water in the financial year 2022, according to the latest statistics. However, that does not detract from the 370,000 incidents of raw sewage discharged across the sector in 2021. This is what is currently grabbing attention.
And not just here either – the state of global water resources was part of a frank discussion at the COP27 conference in Egypt recently. According to a panel of global leaders, improved management of water resources is imperative for reducing climate change and the need for fossil fuels in the gathering, treatment, and distribution of water.
There are encouraging signs that addressing this issue is becoming a priority, with major names committing funds and research into how best to manage such a precious resource, and especially when it comes to the overall water journey. Improved education, and the recent publication of the Government’s Net Zero Estate Playbook, has also contributed to better understanding as to how we as a nation can use what we have long thought of as ‘waste’ in other aspects, with accountability also being a key factor.
For the FM sector, such heavy scrutiny means that processes are also under the microscope. And managers contending with the additional need to keep costs to the absolute minimum, without disrupting the upkeep of a site, are by association, in that same group.
Large facilities, which have a heavy water usage, are perhaps subject to a greater level of scrutiny given how many stakeholders are involved in their maintenance and general operation. Running water is something that we take for granted in this country, yet there is a very real danger that this precious resource will be overrun without stringent and efficient management. Within the context of the facilities management industry, treating and reusing water goes beyond simply meeting compliance checklists; it also eases financial pressures, crucial at a time when balancing the books is becoming increasingly complex, by taking what has long been thought of as ‘waste’ and integrating it back into the facility’s own power generation network.
Furthermore, treated wastewater can be used for irrigation and in the upkeep of greenspaces around a facility. This process is becoming fairly common in the cultivation of crops within the agriculture sector, due to wastewater having a naturally high level of nutrients, and FM can also reap similar rewards. Rather than ‘fresh’ water being drawn from reserves and then pumped out across the multi-acre site, using treated wastewater returns the nutrients back to the earth, thereby improving soil health and latterly, the health of plants across the facility. This then improves the visual aesthetics of the premises, removes the need for harmful fertilisers to be brought in, and is a major plus for tenants that need to show their respective credentials.
It is important to mention here that while it might sound like a miracle cure, wastewater treatment is anything but. The procedures involved at all stages are subject to highly stringent legislation and quality control, which wastewater management companies need to follow to the letter so as to prevent incidents of wrongful discharge mentioned previously. In addition, the recent heavy rain we’ve experienced in the UK has put drainage systems under incredible stress and subsequently, put facilities at risk of flooding.
This year and recent ones for that matter, have shown that the systems that have long been in place are being overwhelmed by the demands of the 21st century. While national infrastructure is being upgraded with the 2050 goals in mind, localised measures and those at specific sites will continually be called upon to take some of the immediate burden.
Even as recently as the end of November, a lack of wastewater disposal facilities in Cornwall contributed to the already significant issue of water pollution in the region and resulted on material being taken hundreds of miles away for disposal, only adding further concern to the level of environmental damage. Away from the coasts and looking at how FM can use this as a lesson to be learnt, assessing storage capacity of septic tanks at a facility itself, at what level further storage may be required, and the capabilities of the regional storage / discharge infrastructure, are all important considerations. While it would be perfect to return all lost water back to nature safely, this is a long way away from being possible – there is plenty that FM can teach in the meantime.
FM is already showing that it has the means to steer the course in the right direction, through a multitude of water efficiency innovations and setting tough targets for reducing consumption, and keeping water use contained within the confines of the facility where possible. Reusing what had once upon a time been flushed away and forgotten about has all manner of positive outcomes, not only for the facility and its occupants, but the wider community.
It is next to impossible to predict what the future holds, much less so within the FM industry with continuously changing customer demands and processes forever adapting to those demands. Nonetheless, it is imperative that the precious resources are drawn upon in a responsible manner.
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