PBJ Engineering Services

Old landfill sites can be challenging to deal with. But what if you could turn them into something useful again? That’s exactly what’s happening in Guildford, where a brand-new wastewater treatment works is being built on the site of a former landfill. The project is part of a major regeneration scheme to free up space for 1,500 new homes and community spaces. But building on landfill comes with big challenges. Decaying waste creates ground instability and releases gases while disturbing the site can risk contamination and environmental damage. To overcome this, engineers have designed the new site so that critical structures – including settlement tanks, aeration tanks, and sludge handling facilities – are built above ground on piled foundations. This avoids deep excavations, reduces disruption to the landfill, and limits the risk of leachate (contaminated liquid) escaping into the environment. The result will hopefully be a modern, more efficient treatment works that meets the needs of a growing population while turning a tricky site into a vital piece of infrastructure. #WastewaterIndustry #UrbanRegeneration #SustainableEngineering #WastewaterTreatment #PBJEngineering

Our ageing sewer network and increasingly unpredictable weather are a bad combo. Flooding has become more common in the UK, but heavy rain doesn’t have to mean a deluge – if the right infrastructure is in place. That’s precisely what’s been achieved in Holywell Row, Suffolk, where a smart new stormwater storage system is helping prevent local sewers from becoming overwhelmed. In this area – like many others – the drainage system often struggled to cope during heavy rain, leaving some residents facing up to 11 flood incidents in their homes. The solution, delivered by Anglian Water Services's @One Alliance (about which we recently posted), is an underground stormwater storage system using five rows of large-diameter Weholite pipes, each 45m long, providing around 400m³ of storage capacity. How does it work? When stormwater levels rise, the system captures excess water, preventing the sewers from overflowing. Once conditions stabilise, the stored water is gradually released back into the system, reducing flood risk and improving network resilience. With climate change bringing more unpredictable weather, smart solutions like this are going to be essential. We can’t stop storms, but we can make sure communities are better protected. #WastewaterIndustry #WaterIndustry #WastewaterEngineers #PBJEngineering

AI is thirsty work. It's driving innovation across industries – including the wastewater sector. Predictive analytics and machine learning are helping water companies spot leaks, prevent pollution incidents, and optimise treatment processes. However, as AI adoption grows, so does the environmental cost. It’s powered by data centres that guzzle massive amounts of water to keep their servers from overheating. And with the UK government pushing to become an AI superpower, demand is only set to rise – especially in the already water-stressed south of England. So, how does the industry tackle this? Some companies are already leading the way. Microsoft has unveiled a new cooling system for AI data centres that doesn’t use water at all. Instead, it submerges servers in a special liquid that keeps them cool without traditional water-based cooling. If AI is to grow sustainably, more tech firms will need to rethink their water strategies – just as wastewater treatment plants are already finding smarter ways to operate. Efficiency, circularity, and smarter resource use will be key. #DataCentres #WaterIndustry #Sustainability #WastewaterIndustry #PBJEngineering

Thermal hydrolysis has made sludge treatment greener, but new research supports the idea that plants can also help tackle the problem. At PBJ Engineering Services, we specialise in thermal hydrolysis, which pre-treats sewage sludge using high heat and pressure. It makes sludge easier to break down in anaerobic digestion, improves biogas production, and reduces waste – helping wastewater treatment plants cut emissions and boost efficiency. However, new findings reinforce that nature can also play a role. Reed beds aren’t a new idea in wastewater treatment – they’re already in use at sites like Thames Water’s Cirencester sewage treatment works, which recently added a 9,000m² horizontal integrated reed bed (HIRB) as part of a £21 million upgrade. Now, researchers in Oman have found even more evidence to support their benefits. A new study shows that sludge treatment reed beds (STRBs) can reduce sludge volumes by up to 98% while naturally filtering out pollutants. The reeds create oxygen pockets in the sludge, boosting bacterial activity that breaks down organic waste without chemicals or energy-intensive processes. For wastewater treatment plants looking to improve sustainability and efficiency, these findings reinforce what we’re already seeing here in the UK: reed beds are an increasingly valuable tool in sludge management. #WastewaterIndustry #WastewaterEngineering #Sustainability #NaturalEngineering #PBJEngineering

AI isn’t just revolutionising finance, healthcare, and transport – it’s set to transform wastewater management, too. With aging infrastructure, climate change, and population growth all putting pressure on our wastewater networks, smarter solutions are needed. That’s where AI comes in. Using predictive analytics and real-time monitoring, AI-powered systems can spot blockages, detect leaks, and even predict flooding before it happens – allowing utilities to act before problems escalate. This means fewer spills, less pollution, and a more resilient wastewater network. One company leading the way is Belfast's StormHarvester. Their AI-driven software monitors sewer networks in real-time, analysing rainfall data, sewer capacity, and flow rates to detect potential issues before they cause overflows or pollution events. It’s already been adopted by 75% of UK water utilities, helping reduce pollution and improve efficiency. And investors are taking note – StormHarvester has just raised just over £8 million to expand its platform and grow into new markets. It’s a sign that the industry sees AI as a key part of the future of wastewater management. As more utilities invest in digital transformation, AI will play an increasingly critical role in keeping our water networks running efficiently. It’s an exciting space to watch! #WastewaterIndustry #AI #WastewaterEngineers #EngineeringExcellence #PBJEngineering

Turns out ‘teamwork makes the dream work’ is true – especially when it comes to delivering water projects faster, cheaper, and more efficiently. That’s precisely what @one Alliance, a partnership led by Anglian Water Services, is doing. Instead of multiple companies bidding against each other for contracts, they’re working as a single, integrated team to tackle some of the UK’s biggest water infrastructure challenges. This approach is set to play a key role over the next five years, with Anglian Water investing £2.6bn between 2025–30 to upgrade its network, improve resilience, and meet growing demand. So, what makes this collaborative model different? ✅ Long-term planning – Companies aren’t just working together on a single project; they’re delivering a five-year programme with shared goals and responsibilities. ✅ Integrated teams – Over 1,300 workers, including engineers, designers, and specialists from different companies, are embedded in the same teams. ✅ Faster delivery – Early collaboration means fewer delays, better coordination, and a more streamlined approach. ✅ Cost efficiency – By pooling resources and expertise, @One Alliance reduces duplication and drives down project costs. ✅ Better solutions – Working together from the start encourages innovation, leading to more sustainable, forward-thinking infrastructure. With climate change, population growth, and stricter regulations putting pressure on the UK’s water networks, this way of working could set a precedent for the industry. #WaterIndustry #WastewaterEngineering #EngineeringExcellence #PBJEngineering

£400 million to shake up the water industry – how will it be spent? 💰 Ofwat has just doubled its Innovation Fund, pledging £400m over the next five years to help water companies tackle some of their biggest challenges. That means more funding for projects aimed at cutting leaks, preventing pollution, improving wastewater treatment, and reaching net zero. Since 2020, the fund has backed some eye-catching ideas – like robots that detect cracks inside pipes, seagrass restoration to improve water quality, and advanced sludge treatment to remove persistent chemicals. This next funding phase will focus on scaling up successful innovations and encouraging more collaboration across the sector. It’s a big step toward modernising the UK’s water infrastructure. And for those working in the industry, it’ll be interesting to see which ideas get the green light. #WaterIndustry #WastewaterEngineering #Innovation #Sustainability #PBJEngineering

What can a remote Himalayan desert teach us about water engineering? A lot, as it turns out. In Ladakh, India – a high-altitude desert with minimal rainfall – communities are tackling water scarcity with an incredible invention: ice stupas. These cone-shaped, artificial glaciers are built to store winter meltwater and release it gradually during the growing season, solving the critical problem of delayed snowmelt caused by rising temperatures. Here’s how they work: Water is channelled through underground pipes from higher altitudes. It’s sprayed into subzero air, freezing into towering ice formations capable of holding millions of litres of water. As they melt in spring, the water irrigates crops and even supports reforestation efforts, turning barren land into farmland. This idea has transformed water management in Ladakh, giving farmers the water they need to grow crops and sustain their livelihoods. And it's a great example of how engineering and creativity can tackle climate challenges. While ice stupas are specific to Ladakh, the concept of using natural processes and local ingenuity has lessons for us all. Inspiring! #Sustainability #WaterEngineering #EngineeringExcellence #WaterIndustry #PBJEngineering (Image credited to Rolex/Sonam Wangchuk)

If you follow our posts, you’ll know wastewater can be used in some surprisingly clever ways – including to tackle one of the tech world’s biggest challenges. Let's talk data centres. They’re critical infrastructure – without them, there’s no streaming your favourite shows, no scrolling LinkedIn, and no asking AI bots those burning questions. But here’s the problem: data centres generate lots of heat, and keeping them cool requires vast amounts of water. That’s not ideal in a world where water scarcity is an increasing concern — even in the UK. But some tech firms have worked out a smart solution: wastewater. Amazon is cooling dozens of its US data centres using reclaimed wastewater (yes, sewage). The water undergoes a three-step treatment process that removes 99% of impurities before running through the cooling system. Once used, it returns to the wastewater facility for treatment so it can be reused again. Amazon aims to be 'water positive' by 2030, and other tech giants, including Microsoft, have committed to similar ambitions. So next time you’re bingeing data, spare a thought for wastewater – it keeps tech running more sustainably. #Sustainability #WastewaterIndustry #WastewaterEngineers #CircularEconomy #PBJEngineering

This week, M&S announced they’re using sewage-powered lorries to slash their carbon emissions. But how does wastewater end up fuelling food trucks? It all comes down to biomethane—a renewable gas made from wastewater sludge, among other things. Here’s how it works: Wastewater is treated in anaerobic digesters, where bacteria break down organic matter in an oxygen-free environment, producing biogas (a mix of methane and carbon dioxide). The biogas is refined to remove impurities, leaving behind biomethane, which can be used as a clean fuel. The benefits are huge. Biomethane-powered vehicles can cut carbon emissions by up to 85% compared to diesel. They’re also quieter, cheaper to run, and a great example of the circular economy in action. M&S is adding 80 biomethane-fuelled lorries to their fleet to transport food, clothing, and homeware across the UK. This move supports their goal to achieve net zero operations by 2030 and supply chain net zero by 2040. This is just another reminder of wastewater’s potential to drive sustainability! #Sustainability #WastewaterIndustry #WastewaterEngineers #PBJEngineering