HUBER Technology screens partnership with Wessex Water delivers significant cost savings

14.03.2019
Working in partnership with Wessex Water on their inlet screen and screenings handling framework, HUBER Technology has helped the water company to achieve significant cost savings on its capital maintenance programme.

Warminster STW

Chilcompton STW

Wookey STW

Winscombe STW

The savings were achieved via the development of a delivery methodology that should achieve ongoing savings through AMP7, and which can also be rolled out across other Wessex Water capital maintenance programmes.

Since winning the framework, HUBER Technology has been working very closely with Wessex’ in-house design and delivery teams in WECS, Wessex Water’s internal delivery company.

The water company needed to deliver a programme of screens replacement across its region and recognised that it needed to focus on how, not what was delivered in order to meet its efficiency targets. An early assessment of screens requirements identified a predominance of applications for HUBER screens and handling products.

Wessex Water opted for a light delivery model, which removed the need for Tier 1 consultancy involvement in order to avoid the costs and challenges often associated with schemes that are more complex.

To achieve this, WECs and HUBER set up a joint delivery team to survey sites, define the scope, products, and work together to install the solution at minimal cost.

All projects to date have been delivered on time and within budget.

The projects varied in size and  flow rates from as low as 33 l/s up to  500 l/s. HUBER’s Ro9 combined  screen is suitable for the smaller sites up to 100 l/s and then for the larger sites above 100 l/s the  HUBER Belt Screen Escamax®  and HUBER Screenings Wash Press WAP®L were supplied.

One innovation that we worked on together to develop and to meet the framework requirements was how HUBER removed the screenings wash element of the screen, providing compaction only. Flush water used to keep the compaction area clean was sourced mainly from screened effluent, which was pumped from a downstream sump controlled by a HUBER control panel. This helped to reduce the wash water requirements.

Working within the Wessex Water framework provided HUBER with some challenges. One challenge we overcame was to reduce the amount of site civil works. This allowed HUBER to adopt the use of launder and conveyors to transport screenings to skips, which were located a distance away from the inlet screens. 

Key innovation in partnership is the level of trust and the behavioural shift that was required.

Working together, the Wessex Water/ HUBER Technology team resolved a number of challenges, including:

  • appointment of a local 3D laser scanning organisation to develop civil drawings sufficient to effect efficient designs and right first time installations
  • a behavioural shift required by both parties - need and understanding for the types of behaviour required by the team at different points in the project, which varied from the traditional construction methodology

Both parties recognised that the early commitment by WECs required a more project focussed behaviour rather than a traditional tendering approach.

This meant that HUBER needed to engage project teams and detailed design work without the security of a firm order and WECs needed to include risk in the cost going to internal approval.

The key innovation in the project has been the level of trust and behavioural shift that was required and recognised by both parties to facilitate the new working process.  This has ensured the engagement of teams who are focussed on delivering the screens as fast and efficiently as possible.

The next round of sites are now in progress with the aim to complete them before the end of a very successful AMP 6.

The key operational benefits achieved:

  • Fully automated machines
  • Reduced maintenance
  • Power consumption reduced from 15KW to 1 KW on some sites
  • Compacted screenings reducing transport costs on skip collections
  • Operator familiarity

Changing behaviours and cultures in different organisations can sometimes be awkward and difficult, however the rewards are significant savings, which help, deliver Ofwat efficiencies.

Adrian Heneghan Area Manager with HUBER commented: “Although there were challenges on some of the sites, I am very pleased with how we overcame them, working as a team and finding innovative solutions. I think every new installation we have done with Wessex has achieved what was set out originally.”