Test and Measurement Feature Library

Operations Engineer's library catalogues editorial features going back five years.

Access to all archive material is free to all, including non-members of IPlantE (the Institution of Operations Engineers) or BES (Bureau of Engineer Surveyors), under the umbrella of SOE (Society of Operations Engineers). However, to discover the many benefits of becoming an SOE member, please click here.

04/02/2025 Procure early to secure delivery The massive scale-up of work across the UK’s water and wastewater companies in AMP8 is no secret, but the way projects are delivered will have to change, says Dominic Hurd, managing director, ACWA Services » Read More

06/02/2024 The impact of discharging sewage 2022 figures from UK environmental regulators revealed untreated sewage was discharged into UK rivers and coastlines at the very least 399,864 times; that’s 1,091 times a day. That’s most likely a huge underestimation of the scale of the ... » Read More

06/02/2024 A new direction for reverse osmosis At a molecular level, the natural process of osmosis normally causes water to move through a semipermeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area where the concentration is higher, moving the concentrations into ... » Read More

06/02/2024 Preventing sewage discharge We’ve all read the headlines about the amount of sewage being discharged into the UK’s rivers and beaches, but what technologies are the water companies implementing to reverse this trend? Tom Austin-Morgan finds out » Read More

31/08/2023 The potential of water reuse Rising concerns over water scarcity and environmental impacts mean industries are increasingly recognising the importance of water reuse as a critical strategy for sustainable resource management. Tom Austin-Morgan reports » Read More

20/02/2023 Inside London's 'super sewer' Construction of London’s new 25km-long River Thames sewer tunnel is progressing at pace, as delivery company Tideway pursues its 2025 targeted opening date. By Brian Wall » Read More

20/02/2023 Catchments: a new view of wastewater treatment When considering the cost and carbon footprint associated with conventional treatment using chemicals, can water catchment provide a more nature-based alternative? By Steed Webzell » Read More

20/02/2023 All about storm overflows As Southern Water recovers from a dark period, managing storm overflows is the biggest challenge that it – and the industry – faces. Water utilities use storm overflows to serve as relief valves that ensure that rain and wastewater is ... » Read More

24/06/2022 Monster keeps major infrastructure project on track A Sulzer Channel Monster has been a lifeline for a large-scale wastewater treatment project in Vác, Hungary. Faced with the need to keep a municipal wastewater treatment plant in operation during a EUR 14.5 million upgrade, Hungarian ... » Read More

30/03/2022 A guide to improved gas feeding in water treatment Accurate gas dosing and the ability to control the feed to match changing conditions are vital for water treatment applications such as pH control using CO2 or removing iron with oxidation. From the outset, the system requires accurate ... » Read More

14/02/2022 Taming the overflow storm Regulation governing sewer storm overflows has been markedly stepped up. As a result, monitoring devices are being installed across all water authorities to combat the soaring number of discharges. By Brian Wall » Read More

14/02/2022 Water industry responds to climate change A critical report by the government’s water regulator Ofwat found that climate change was the biggest threat to the water sector’s asset management plans. By Tom Austin-Morgan » Read More

23/02/2021 My weir runneth over An advanced computing system aims to improve utilities’ ability to detect blockages that might otherwise lead to sewage pollution incidents, reports Toby Clark » Read More

20/01/2021 Sulzer-led award-winning project improves performance and control of sewage ... The Forward Flow Project, instigated by Anglian Water, looks at the flows in a station or between a network of pumping stations and was developed to include a management tool that would improve the availability and efficiency of the ... » Read More

10/09/2020 Brewery enters uncharted waters A new water recycling plant at the Fredericia, Denmark brewery of Carlsberg will reuse 90% of its process water and reduce overall site consumption by 10%. But how? By Steed Webzell » Read More

05/02/2020 Ship shape From the advanced polar research vessel RRS Sir David Attenborough to the new £6.2 billion Queen Elizabeth Class carriers, on-board water systems are playing a vital role at sea » Read More

06/09/2019 A big step-change Nereda technology was originally presented to the UK water industry in 2013. Since then, the technology has been tested and implemented at more plants » Read More

07/03/2019 Improvement works Following a pumping station pollution incident that led to a fine, Thames Water has made a series of improvement changes involving personnel, maintenance and data management » Read More

05/02/2019 The wonders of waste United Utilities’ £200 million investment at its Davyhulme wastewater treatment works in greater Manchester has put the site right at the forefront when it comes to sewage treatment » Read More

05/02/2019 Comment: Monster of the deep A ‘monster’ fatberg, longer than six double-decker buses, has been found in Devon. South West Water says it’s the largest mass of oil, grease and wet wipes discovered in its service history. » Read More

05/02/2019 A matter of manganese Filtering out the naturally-occurring mineral from potable water in the North East is a new 37.3Mld pressure filtration plant » Read More

21/08/2018 PMS motors deliver cost-effective and greener wastewater treatment The treatment of water and wastewater is an essential task to protect water resources and reduce our impact on the environment. However, the energy consumed in carrying out such treatment processes also have an impact on the environment; ... » Read More

16/12/2015 ECS renews sluice automation equipment for Environment Agency As the Environment Agency (EA) continues its programme to upgrade water control structures on the River Lee, it contracted ECS Engineering Services to replace the actuators and gearboxes on the sluice gates at Rammey Marsh. » Read More

03/12/2014 Lay waste to poor treatment There are many ways to clean up performance of water and effluent treatment units in industrial plants. Steed Webzell takes a look at some of them » Read More

06/12/2012 Liquid assets Water and waste treatment plants are among the oldest around anywhere, but don't imagine they're bereft of developments. Brian Tinham reports » Read More