서던 워터(Southern Water)는 웨스트 서식스(West Sussex)주에 위치한 스테이플필드(Staplefield) 마을의 처리시설 인근에 3.2에이커 규모의 습지를 조성하는 계획을 발표했다.   

습지는 자연기반 솔루션의 하나로, 식물을 통해 폐수를 여과해 처리한다. 식물은 폐수에서 오염 물질을 제거하고, 지역 생물다양성을 개선하며 탄소를 흡수하고 저장하는 친환경적인 이점을 제공한다.   

이번 습지 조성은 타당성 조사, 지하수 위험 평가 및 환경 계획 수행을 거쳐 계획됐다. 계획은 최종적으로 웨스트 서식스 주의회에서 검토할 예정이며, 승인되면 5월에 착공할 예정이다. 

세실 스탠포드(Cécile Stanford) 서던 워터의 프로젝트 매니저는 “이번 프로젝트는 생물 다양성 개선하며, 폐수를 처리하는 친환경적인 솔루션을 제공하는 중요한 프로젝트이다. 이 프로젝트는 또한 미래 세대에게 습지의 이점에 대해 교육하는 데 도움이 될 것이다”라고 말했다.  

계획이 승인되면 갤리포드 트라이 환경(Galliford Try Environment)과 비니즈 UK(Binnies UK Ltd.)의 합작 투자 회사인 GTb가 작업을 수행할 것이다.

한편 이번 프로젝트는 서던워터가 환경성과를 개선하기 위해 2020년에서 2025년 동안 진행한  30억 파운드 규모의 투자 중 하나이다.  

[원문보기] 

Plans for new £4.5m wetland to be created in West Sussex

Southern Water has unveiled plans for a large wetland next to its treatment works in Staplefield. 

The wetland, is the size of two football pitches (3.2 acres) and will help treatment at the site and is a nature-based solution to reducing Phosphorus into nearby watercourses. 

How does the wetland work? 

Wetlands provide another way of treating wastewater, it is what is known as a nature-based solution and uses water tolerant plants as a filter. They can remove contaminants from wastewater, improve local biodiversity and have the green benefits of absorbing and storing carbon.   

For the Staplefield wetland next to Cuckfield Road, it will work by having treated wastewater from the current treatment works feeding the wetland at one end and filtering through the wetland and removing effluent at the other.  

The wetland’s creation has been carefully planned, including carrying out a feasibility study, groundwater risk assessments and environmental planning 

The next steps 

Plans for the wetland will be looked at by West Sussex County Council, if approved we are expecting work to start in May.  

Project Manager Cécile Stanford from Southern Water said: 

“This is a really important project that will have clear benefits in improving biodiversity and is a natural way of treating wastewater  This project will also help educate future generations about the benefit of wetlands.” 

The work, if approved, will be carried out by contractor GTb, which is a joint venture between Galliford Try Environment and Binnies UK Ltd.

GTb Project Manager, Lee McGrattan said: “As a joint venture company we are really excited to be part of this project. This will be the first wetland project we are working on and it will be fantastic to see it flourish in the future.  Wetlands are an alternative to more traditional mechanical and electrical process solutions, relying on nature to assist and encourage wildlife to the area.” 

It is one of many examples of how Southern Water is investing £3bn between 2020 and 2025 to improve its environmental performance. 

[출처 = Southern Water(https://www.southernwater.co.uk/the-news-room/the-media-centre/2024/february/plans-for-new-45m-wetland-to-be-created-in-west-sussex) / 2024년 2월 20일]

[번역 = 박원희 기자]