Magnetic Attraction Of Sheffield’s Water

Around 200,000 people in the Sheffield and Barnsley areas now have some of the cleanest drinking water in the UK thanks to a new treatment facility that is using pioneering technology to bring even greater purity to South Yorkshire’s finest tipple!

In common with most other reservoirs in the Pennines, the water treatment works at Langsett near Stocksbridge, have experienced a deterioration in water quality over the years due to the peaty nature of the hills the water runs down before being collected in the reservoir.

To counteract this a new first stage treatment process called a Magnetic Ion Exchange (MIEX), designed to remove the slightly tinged peat colour from the raw water in Langsett reservoir prior to it being treated and sent out to supply customers, has been installed.

HBPW Senior Engineer, Shaun Strugnell, said: “Historically Langsett water treatment works received its raw water from the nearby reservoir and cleansed it using a Rapid Gravity Filter system (RGF).

“However, the efficiency of the RGF was gradually being reduced because of the increasingly peaty water, prompting the need for a MIEX.

“MIEX processes have the ability to reduce the Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) in water which, in turn, reduces the formation of harmful Disinfection By-products (DBPs) in the water treatment plant itself. This provides for much improved outcomes enabling the RGF system to, once again, achieve maximum efficiency. By working in tandem the MIEX and RGF now massively benefit the local population.”

The new MIEX facility, measuring 38m by 22m, was handed over to Yorkshire Water in the past few weeks and features a 7m deep basement containing the process equipment along with contactor storage chambers for the treatment of water.

HBPW led the civil and structural engineering design on behalf of Clugston who delivered the project for the Morgan Sindall and SWECO Joint Venture (MS2JV)

“There were some early day challenges,” added Shaun, “in that restrictions on site meant that concrete had to be pumped in some considerable distance. However, all of the issues were overcome and I am delighted to report that HBPW has played a key role in helping upgrade Sheffield’s drinking water for years to come.”

Simon Balding, Yorkshire Water project manager, said: “Removing the deposits and colour makes it much easier to treat the water and will ensure customers in Sheffield and Barnsley continue to receive high quality drinking water. This is a big investment and demonstrates our commitment to providing the best quality drinking water for the area.”