Water Treatment Weir Brushes – Northumbrian Water

When you’re supplying the water to hundreds of thousands of customers, time really does matter. So to ensure their customers were getting the best service, Northumbrian Water approached Cottam to help them find a time-saving and effective solution to their current brush systems at their water treatment plants.

Northumbrian Water had a very specific set of requirements to help them tackle the build-up of contaminants such as mud, algae, and moss in the weirs of their primary and final tanks. As the brushes became clogged, contaminants passed into the final tanks, which could effectively taint the water, so it was imperative that the old brush system was continually updated. Operators, who often  had to brush the weirs by hand, also needed a brush that could eliminate this unpleasant and inefficient process. A Cottam weir brush system should enable the operators to avoid hand-brushing completely. There were also requirements for various sizes and types of brushes that could be changed quickly and easily by Northumbrian Water’s engineers.

Northumbrian Water came to Cottam because they felt we offered an exemplary service with the ability to standardise products and create one-stop solutions, from the design phase, all the way through to installation. “They also knew that we put health and safety at the top of the list of priorities, and that we had a proven track record when it came to developing unique and effective solutions for customers,” explains Cottam consultant Nigel Hutchinson. “To do this, we deigned an effective yet simple stainless steel brush system that’s corrosion resistant, which can be easily removed and changed when necessary. The weirs stay clean, with no contamination of final tanks, and they look good, too!”

News of the development process with Northumbrian Water spread quickly, and now Cottam’s water treatment weir brushes are installed in sewage plants and water treatment works up and down the country. The big bonus is how quickly the brushes can be changed, cutting maintenance time from eight hours to just one hour. Bob Patterson, of Northumbrian Water, commented: We were very impressed with the operation, look and quick change aspect of the brushes. The technical team knew exactly what we wanted and the installation was done methodically and with great expertise.”