At Viltra, we care about the protection of our waterways. We work with clients who care about their impact on the rivers, lakes, and beaches close to their properties. We believe that businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector who rely on promoting their surrounding area should be amongst the strongest advocates for properly managing their own wastewater and effluent treatment.
Right across the UK and Ireland, we are hearing more and more stories about sewage (sewerage) spills and pollution instances in our waterways. This has a significant impact on the tourism industry, especially for businesses that rely on these waterways to enhance their offering.
At Viltra, we have worked with camping, caravaning, glamping sites, hotels, guest houses, and tourist attractions, right across the UK and Ireland. From Loch Lomond in Scotland to Cork in Ireland, we have designed bespoke wastewater and effluent treatment solutions to meet even the most challenging demands.
Our Projects
Some of our recent tourism projects include Finn Lough Resort, Rossharbour Resort, and Corick House Hotel & Spa on the shores of Lough Erne in Northern Ireland, Darver Castle, a 15th-century historic estate in Ireland and Enterkine Hotel Ayr and Arranview holiday park, one of the gateways to the Scottish Highlands, which hosts luxury lakeside lodges and glamping pods. In England, Viltra has worked on various projects for FURTHER.SPACE, a luxury glamping holiday company in the most rural and unique settings in locations such as Devon and Cornwall in the southwest of England. Viltra also works directly with the National Trust on its sites across Northern Ireland.
How is this relevant to me?
Do you have washroom facilities, a swimming pool, a laundrette, a bar/restaurant, a spa, or hot tubs? If so, you need to consider whether your wastewater and effluent treatment plant is fit for purpose. Perhaps you are only in the planning stages of your facility, and you are not sure of the requirements. You may be a well-established facility that is constantly having to work on a system that is not suitable for your growing business. Viltra’s highly experienced team has been working with tourism and hospitality providers for more than 20 years offering consultation, advice, installation, and maintenance of wastewater treatment systems.
Your Considerations
Environment
Effective wastewater treatment is essential to prevent contamination of soil and water bodies. If you rely on a watercourse as part of your business offering, your business could be seriously impacted, in the event of a pollution incident.
Health & Safety
Proper, effective wastewater treatment ensures the health and safety of customers and staff by minimising the risk of exposure to water pollution and waterborne diseases.
Reputation
By investing in a system that protects the environment, you also protect your reputation from the risk of a pollution incident. It can also support efforts towards greener credentials, something which is becoming increasingly important for customers.
Compliance
Tourism site operators must adhere to stringent environmental regulations in their respective jurisdictions in the UK and Ireland. If your site doesn’t comply, you again risk not only reputational and financial damage but also potential legal issues.
Financial
There is a cost involved in putting in place a bespoke system to suit your site requirements; however, Viltra always seeks to work within a client’s budget to deliver value for money. We believe that the long-term environmental benefits, peace of mind, and reduction of reputational risk are worth the investment.
Site-Specific Considerations
Selecting the appropriate wastewater treatment system for your facility depends on several factors, including:
• Site Size and Capacity: Larger sites with higher visitor numbers require systems with greater treatment capacities.
• Soil and Groundwater Conditions: Soil type, permeability, and groundwater levels influence the choice of treatment system.
• Regulatory Requirements: Compliance with local environmental regulations is essential.
Viltra offers a service that supports our clients through the entire decision-making process. This starts with applying for ‘Consent to Discharge’ on your behalf, if required; through to advising on the most effective and efficient system for your site. This is followed by installation and servicing/maintenance to ensure the long-term sustainability of your system.
Types of Systems
There are several different solutions for consideration, depending on the site-specific considerations outlined above.
Septic tank solutions tend to not suitable for sites with higher wastewater volumes. This consists of an underground tank where solids settle, and liquids are partially treated before being discharged into a drainage field. They are rarely a viable solution for tourism facilities on their own, due to sheer volume, but can be used as part of an overall approach.
Treatment plants use biological processes to treat wastewater, producing cleaner effluent that can be safely discharged or reused. Viltra specialises in the design and installation of treatment plants where the water that leaves the system is as, or nearly as clean as the water that has come in through the taps and showers, etc.
Drip dispersal systems which evenly distribute treated wastewater into the soil through a network of small tubes is another system often used by tourism and hospitality outlets. This method ensures efficient absorption and further purification by soil microorganisms.
For caravan, camping, and glamping sites aiming to promote eco-tourism, sustainable wastewater treatment solutions like drip distribution systems are ideal. This option can help to minimise environmental impact and enhance the site’s green credentials.
What Next?
If you would like to find out more about any of these options, costs, complexity, and site suitability for your facilities, please get in touch. Our team would be happy to chat through any issues you are currently having and discuss potential solutions. Quote ‘Caravan Industry and Park Operator Magazine in your correspondence for a free consultation.
Simply email enquiries@viltra.co.uk or call +44 28 30 83 5533.https://www.viltra.co.uk/
