EBNet has been commenting for some time now about the difficulty of arranging visits to water and wastewater treatment facilities, even for organised groups. Several factors may account for this, from pressure on staff time to concerns about health and safety and awareness of the sector’s poor public image. It’s disappointing, as such trips play an invaluable part in the education of future environmental biotechnologists and engineers. But could there be signs of a change?
On a bitterly cold day last week, students from the University of Southampton were able to visit Southern Water’s Millbrook Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW). Staff not only gave them an excellent tour but even asked if they could take a group picture to publicise the trip…
Meanwhile the Royal Society of Chemistry is organising a member’s tour around Severn Trent Water’s Minworth Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) on Thurs 30 April 2026. Minworth serves a population equivalent of approx 1.75 million in and around Birmingham, and is Severn Trent’s largest WWTW. Treatment consists of primary settlement followed by an activated sludge plant. Minworth processes its own wastewater biosolids, and also imported sludges from industrial and regional works, using thickening/dewatering, thermal hydrolysis, and anaerobic digestion.  Severn Trent’s greenhouse gas reduction targets involve cutting Nâ‚‚O and CHâ‚„ emissions to help achieve Net Zero Operational Carbon Emissions by 2030. The visit will include opportunities to see Minworth’s emissions monitoring technologies, and to hear about the site’s process optimisation trials. For more information and to register see here.
Our thanks to Southern Water and Severn Trent, and keep up the good work…
