As a result of the COVID19 pandemic and consequent travel restrictions that have been imposed over the past 18+ months, British residents have been spending more time and more money on domestic vacations. This year was one of the busiest for camping and caravan parks, with sites hosting millions of visitors from all four corners of the UK. Specifically, the Caravan and Motorhome Club states that its membership increased by 14% in 2020 and this growth is to continue in 2021 (ref.: Guardian, May’ 21).
This growth has led to the expansion and development of camping and caravan assets to accommodate increased demand. From an environmental perspective, this naturally means that there is also an increase in pollution originating from human activity, raising the demand for water and wastewater treatment systems at sites in rural locations (off-mains).
As with any additional asset, or upgrade of an asset, this comes at a cost, which although some believe is fixed, in Premier Tech Water and Environment, we shout…it is not!
The cost of wastewater treatment is mainly related to the aeration expenses (cost of supplying oxygen to the wastewater to promote biological treatment); however, our sensors (Dissolved Oxygen (D.O.) probes) in our larger sewage treatment plants sense the oxygen in the aeration chamber regulating the supply when O2-abundance is present. As a result, the treatment system (particularly in our submerged aerated filters, sequencing batch reactors and moving bed biofilm reactors) do not blindly use energy, especially when occupancy is low (i.e. weekdays or bad weather days). This not only reduces the power consumption and therefore the running cost of the sewage treatment plant itself, it also minimises the overall carbon footprint of the asset.
For camping sites and caravan park operators that place site preservation and sustainability at the forefront of their companies’ vision, Premier Tech Water and Environment also offer an option that requires zero energy to operate. Our Ecoflo wastewater treatment system operates using a natural compound (coconut husk), and follows the natural principles of gravity, filtration and absorption to deliver wastewater treatment, hence no energy requirement. The absence of electromechanical equipment also ensures that any maintenance is kept to an absolute minimum, providing park operators with a long-lasting wastewater treatment solution and total peace of mind.
In addition to contributing to circular economy due to being an agricultural byproduct, the coconut husk we use as the all-natural filtering medium within Ecoflo can also contribute to the renewable energy sector. This is down to the lifecycle of the husk itself, as after its years of wastewater treatment are over it can be organically digested and converted to natural gas, further promoting sustainability in both the water industry, as well as in the camping and caravan sector.
Premier Tech are a thought leader in the industry and have been providing off-mains wastewater treatment, rainwater harvesting, stormwater management and liquid storage solutions to the camping and caravanning sector for over 50 years. To find out more, To find out more visit our website https://www.premiertechaqua.com/en-gb
Author: Dr Evangelos Petropoulos, Premier Tech Water and Environment
