Manton: Sewage to be treated in Severn Trent’s £15m ‘steel cow’

Severn Trent is behind the project to build the anaerobic digester machine, designed to convert sewage sludge into a clean source of energy.

Energy generated by the digester can be fed into the National Grid, with remaining material used as fertiliser by local farmers.

Dave Clark, senior programme engineer, said: “Currently, we transport waste from Worksop to our existing plant at Stoke Bardolph, Nottingham.”
“This works well but we can do better - sewage sludge is fed in, the ‘cow’ then digests the material creating a bio-gas, which is used to generate renewable energy to power the site.”

He added that the project would reduce tanker journeys and cut Severn Trent’s carbon footprint, bringing benefits to the environment and customers.

Severn Trent is working with Notts County Council to develop the plans, and work has already begun on a new access road to keep vehicles away from residential areas.

Mr Clark said: “We’ve planned this project to make sure that local residents aren’t disrupted and the new plant will be located within our existing site, away from the local community.”

“We’ve carried out a number of surveys so that we understand the condition of the ground and local environment.”

Trees and shrubs will also be planted to act as a natural screen for the construction.

The ‘steel cow’ is expected to take around 18 months to complete.