A £30 million programme to bolster drinking water supply and quality in Essex is advancing, with Farrans delivering the latest works for Essex & Suffolk Water at Layer Water Treatment Works (WTW).

Earlier this year, the project completed its first phase with a new sand yard and a sand-washing machine to clean the media used in the site’s gravity-driven filtration. As raw water moves through the sand, particles are removed by absorption or become trapped within the sand.

The current phase is focused on installing a new filter block at the front of the site, marking the first deployment of a Mecana system at this scale for drinking water treatment in the UK. Raised on a steel frame, the block will form the initial stage of treatment and allow gravity to move water through subsequent processes, cutting operational energy use, costs and carbon.

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A chemical-free pre-treatment system has also been assembled off-site in the UK to minimise disruption during installation.

Ross Dreghorn, Project Manager for Farrans, said: "We are pleased to be progressing on programme with Layer Water Treatment Works. It is exciting for our team to be able to implement a system which is a first for the UK and a new way of working for the water sector to deliver a clean and clear product. By utilising off site construction and identifying new ways of working, together with Essex & Suffolk Water, we are increasing sustainability and resilience for the future of this site."