Integrated Constructed Wetlands: The Start of a Journey

Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency and Stantec are working together to regulate, design, install and operate an Integrated Constructed Wetland (ICW) at Clifton Sewage Works. The ICW concept is based upon blending open water ponds with shallow vegetated marshes to closely resemble a natural wetland but also simulate the physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes which occur simultaneously in this environment.

Environmental regulators have recognised that a blended system-based approach will deliver a more sustainable outcome. It has taken the welcome step of offering the water industry a risk sharing mechanism in the form of an Operating Techniques Agreement (OTA). These agreements provide a safer environment to explore innovative approaches and ways of working which achieve water quality objectives, whilst reducing energy use and carbon emissions and obtaining additional benefits associated with nature-based solutions.

In this Institute of Water Magazine article, Stantec’s Technical Director, Rob McTaggart and Yorkshire Water’s Environmental Regulation and Modelling Manager, Linda Hustler explores why Integrated Constructed Wetlands are vital to delivering sustainable long-term low carbon solutions, how these can be used within flexible permitting through an OTA and how they help us meet the challenge of nutrient neutrality.