Wastewater transformed into clean water for industrial use

Northumbrian Water is set to expand its ground-breaking project which will see wastewater recycled into clean water suitable for industrial use.

Over the last year, Northumbrian Water has been working on a water reuse pilot at its Howdon Sewage Treatment works on Tyneside, in collaboration with Edinburgh-based technology company, Waterwhelm.

Inside a purpose-built, shipping-container-style lab, advanced technology transforms treated wastewater into high-quality, clean water.

The recycled water, which can then be put in tankers and delivered to local industrial sites, provides a sustainable alternative for businesses that would normally rely on drinking water for their operations, helping to reduce environmental impact and preserve water supplies.

Waterwhelm’s technology, which is powered by only ultra-low pressure and waste heat, uses forward osmosis - a natural process where water passes through a special membrane that separates out solids.

The system uses very little energy – achieving record-low electricity consumption, less than any other method used worldwide, and 80% less electricity than reverse osmosis, where water is pushed the other way through a special filter using pressure.

Following the success of the pilot at Howdon, Northumbrian Water has secured funding from the Ofwat Breakthrough Challenge 5, to scale up the technology at the company’s Bran Sands sewage treatment works on Teesside.

The new project at Bran Sands, named Net Water PositHyve, will be in place for 24 months and will recycle up to 740,000 litres of water per day, compared to just 5,000 litres per day at the Howdon pilot plant.

This recycled water will help meet the needs of the Teesside Industrial Cluster, which is forecast to use up to 190 million litres of water per day, according to the Environment Agency - enough to supply 1.33 million people.

The project, in partnership with Anglian Water, Thames Water, Irish Water, AtkinsRealis, University of Bath and SSE Thermal, aims to help make Bran Sands self-sufficient in its water use and act as a blueprint for Waterwhelm’s technology to supply high-quality reused water to industry across England and Wales.

Richard Warneford, Wastewater Director, at Northumbrian Water, said: “This is such an innovative project, it’s a major step forward in sustainable water innovation and we’re very excited about expanding it.

“It’s a great idea to take wastewater and turn it into clean water that businesses can use for manufacturing, rather using precious drinking water.

“By scaling up this pioneering technology, we’re not only helping industrial sites reduce their environmental impact and reliance on drinking water, but also protecting vital resources for future generations.”

Waterwhelm’s CEO Dr. Alireza Abbassi Monjezi said: “This technology doesn’t just recycle water - it saves energy, cuts carbon and reduces costs. It’s a win for industry, the environment, and the future of our water supply.”