A trial run by South East Water in Hampshire has used soil data to better understand timing and drivers of nitrate risk in order to inform targeted, evidence-led crop management. This could help reduce the amount of fertiliser wasted and leaching into waterways and groundwater benefitting both farmers and water companies.

With sewage sludge as an agricultural fertiliser to farmland coming under greater public and media scrutiny, the issue is rising further up the water companies’ agenda and the possibility of tighter legislation is undoubtedly in prospect.

Uisce Éireann has completed Ireland’s first ever facility to recover valuable phosphorous from wastewater, contributing to a more sustainable approach to wastewater treatment.

A trial at a Cheshire farm led by United Utilities and Compass Agronomy has shown how growing cover crops and carrying out soil analysis can reduce artificial fertiliser use to protect raw water sources.

United Utilities is inviting companies to contact it with new and effective solutions for the treatment of sludge.

Following a review of the current regulatory regime for sludge treatment, storage and use, in 2021 the Agency intends to bring sludge and septic tank sludge into the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations (EPR). The Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations (SUiAR) will no longer be needed.

Yorkshire Water has held its second market engagement event setting out its intention to pursue an innovative, market-led approach to bioresources - the value of the burgeoning UK bioresources market is estimated to be worth up to £1.6billion.

The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee has launched a new inquiry into nitrates pollution in the UK.

Cranfield University has unveiled new plant technology that will enable researchers to remove and recover nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater for use by the fertilizer and chemical industries.

Ofwat has taken the next steps to open the new bioresources market that uses treated sewage to generate energy.