United Utilities Group PLC : Rochdale tap water gets a tasteful makeover

11 January 2012

Thousands of households in and aroundRochdale are to get better tasting tap water, thanks to a £1 million upgrade at Watergrove water treatment works.

New filtering technology is being installed at the plant off Ramsden Road, Wardle,in order to improve taste and odour. Approximately 35,000 people in the area will benefit.

The technology uses 'activated' carbon, to remove even more of the chemicals which can cause an unpleasant taste and odour.

The project, which started in September, involves digging out more than 200 tonnes of sand from the plant's existing filters and replacing it with the carbon.The sand is being recycled for use in drainage layers on sports pitches in Cheshire.

Jason Boyd, project coordinator for United Utilities said: "Our tap water inRochdale has always been of very high quality and purity. However, from time to time, we have had comments about a slightly 'earthy' taste and odour. The upgrade to the treatment works should help to eliminate these issues, meaning local families can tap into even better tasting water."
Customers' water supplies will not be interrupted during the work. The new technology should be up and running by the end of March 2012.

Carbon has a long history of being used to absorb impurities. The Egyptians used carbonized wood around 1500BC as a purifying agent, while the ancient Hindus in India used carbon in the form of charcoal for filtration of drinking water. In more recent times carbon has even been used in shoe insoles to neutralise nasty niffs.

The United Utilities scheme taps into the age old purifying properties of carbon, while adding a hi-tech 21st century twist. 

The scheme is part of United Utilities' record-breaking £3.6 billion investment programme for the N orth West, which is designed to upgrade the region's water and wastewater network, and protect the environment.

ENDS