Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd

Worsthorne Water Treatment Works

The design and construction for the civil and building works of a new water treatment works at Worsthorne, near Burnley, Lancashire, was awarded to the Company by the North West Water Group Plc.

An integral part of the contract was the close liaison between Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering, its civil works designer (Balfour Beatty Projects and Engineering), the process contractor (PWT) and the client, North West Water.

Particular importance was placed upon the appearance of the completed works. The environmental impact had to be minimised. This was achieved with the use of materials which would blend in with the agricultural surroundings and by the construction of landscape mounds with associated shrub planting.

The works were split into three areas, the main treatment plant, high lift pump station and the sludge plant. The main treatment plant was housed within one building.

Galvanised steel portal frames were designed to span across the treatment tanks, chemical storage and administration areas. The steel frame is clad with Bradstone reconstructed stone walling. The roof is constructed from Merlin Grey profiled steel sheeting to give the appearance of slate tiling. The high lift pump station and sludge press house are of similar construction.

The treatment process consists of flocculation/flotation tanks followed by primary and secondary filtration through sand filters. The existing reservoir on the site is utilised as a chlorine contact tank. Sludge produced as a by-product of the process is treated on site together with imported sludge from other North West Water facilities. The pumping station works supply potable water directly to Burnley.

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