We were very pleased with the thorough investigate of the problems with our 15 year old reed bed sewage system carried out by WCI, their clear explanation of the problem, which was caused by lack of/poor maintenance by the previous owner and the excellent work they did to rectify it. They provided us with a very valuable and comprehensive written and photographic record of the problem, the solution and advice on how to ensure it functions properly in the future. They were extremely professional, friendly and efficient. They left our drive and garden very tidy when they left and the new reeds are sprouting nicely.
Liz and Ian Fraser, Whetley Farm, 2011
David and Naomi have carried out various works for us over many years. Their approach is always professional, environmentally friendly, cost effective and where possible aesthetically pleasing.
They always offer the best suited solution. Where other companies may well suggest spending a lot of money to overcome a particular situation, where possible, if David and Naomi can adapt what’s there to work, they do!
WCI have installed 9 Reed beds and several sewage treatment plants over the years and are always clean and tidy on site and each reed bed is well landscaped.
They always hand over a photographic record of what has been carried out as well as clear concise instructions.
The aftercare service is second to none, all servicing is efficiently carried out with minimal fuss. With this excellent service all round, we will continue to use them in the future.
Rob Stenhouse, Ilchester Estates, 2006 - Present
We cannot praise David and his team enough; they managed to sort a very difficult situation with another contractor most professionally.
We now have peace of mind and a system that works and complies with the Environment Agency and Building Control regulations.
Best wishes for a very busy and successful future.
Gina & Kevin, Tanglewood, November 2010
Thanks very much to you and your team for conducting such a professional job installing the new sewage treatment system. Naomi was a fantastic project manager and everything went like clockwork; we both appreciated you pulling out all the stops in order to get it all finished before the rain came on Wednesday and instead of it looking like a wet Glastonbury after you finished, it looked more like the polo ground at Smiths Lawn! I was particularly impressed with the photographic record that Naomi prepared for us with the operating instructions and we never really appreciated just how much work was involved.Nigel and Alison Manning, Ashwick Farm, September 2010
Thanks for doing such an efficient job the other day. I’ve got to say that of all the work we’ve had done on the house dealing with you and WCI has been the best experience of all. Thanks.Walter Riddell, Waterhouse Farm, January 2009
Just a short note to thank you for the new reed bed. I am aware that fitting all the construction in around the school terms and student activities made things more complicated than they would normally be. We are all most grateful for the flexibility, understanding and efficiency demonstrated by you and your team.Lesley M. Walters, Head of Philip Green Memorial School, September 2008
Just a quick line to say thanks you so much for your professional and efficient installation of the reed bed here at Wick Farm. I have to say, that it was a real pleasure to have you both on site with your knowledge and expertise and positive ‘can-do’ attitude and it was perfect to be able to hand the project over to you and for it to be completed on time and on budget, with the minimal input from me. I look forward to working with you again in 2011.Penny Horne, Wick Farm, May 2008
The treatment plant serves a large site and we were in regular discussion with the Environment Agency who wished to see an improvement in our discharge standards. After contacting several companies you were the only one to step forward and offer some confident practical advice, I thank you for the straight forward and honest way that you dealt with the issues we faced. You’re methodical approach and attention to detail has enabled the plant to reach its discharge consent limits for the first time since it was installed over seven years ago.Howard Williams, Area Estates Officer, The National Autistic Society, January 2008
I am happy to confirm that the service provided by WCI have more than met my expectations. Both you and Naomi have been enormously helpful throughout the process of installing my reed-bed, from the application to the Environment Agency to excellent after sales service and telephone advice.Lord Willoughby de Broke, Ditchford Farm, January 2008
Thanks to your practical approach, we have navigated through a maze of regulations to end up with a scheme, which will not only be cost effectively, but environmentally appropriate for this grade I parkland.The Marquis of Lansdowne, Bowood Hotel, January 2008
Your speedy assessment of our initial discharge problem was fantastic. This together with the timely installation of the additional aeration tanks and clarifier to our existing plant has proved a huge success. We are now well within our Environment Agency discharge consent limits, thanks you.P.T. Griffiths, Langdon Industries Ltd, January 2008
The treatment plant that you designed is working exceptionally well and we are consistently achieving discharge standards which are at least 50% better than the tolerance given to us by the Environment Agency. You where the only person we met which was prepared to underwrite the project with a guarantee that you would achieve the required (very high) standards for discharge into the SSSI brook. Thanks again to you and Naomi for delivering on a first clad project.Dean Attwell, Managing Director Oakland International Ltd, June 2007
It’s been a real pleasure to work with David and Naomi, both at River Cottage and at home. Their knowledge and commitment to ecological sewage treatment is outstanding, and they have a particular knack for understanding a given situation, and offering just the right solution. I’ve also appreciated their thorough aftercare service. When they take a project on they see it through, and stay in touch. I like that. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, River Cottage (As seen on Channel Four), 2006-2010
We were impressed from the start by your positively helpful approach, your obviously high level of technical competency and your clear exposition of the problems facing us and how you could resolve them.David and Maureen Thomas, The Coach House, October 2006
We would like to tell you how pleased we are with the reed bed you designed for us. Not only does it function excellently but it looks very attractive and needs almost no maintenance.Belinda and John Owen, Cruck Barn, January 2006
Wendy and I would like to express thanks to you for the most speedy and professional manner you carried out the installation of the drains and the re-establishment of the pond. The results look quite magnificent and the site left so clean and tidy – it has been really great to witness the progress.A. John Watts, La Pipeterie, Jersey, October 1997
Our house is an old property and had a septic tank that was barely adequate and discharged directly into the river. We sought 3 quotes for an alternative arrangement from local, Somerset, companies. From the start WCI impressed with a prompt response and a mid-range quote which drew on a particularly detailed site assessment. This gave us confidence in their ability to do the job on time and to budget. We asked Naomi to project manage the job from beginning to end, which she did to perfection – we simply watched! The contract progressed to schedule except for unforeseeable problems with uncooperative rock; however, Naomi was quick to suggest a workaround solution that ultimately was to our advantage. Two weeks after completion we have fragrance where there was once odour, Naomi`s grass seed has germinated and the only sign that the team from WCI has been is a discrete vent and manhole cover. It’s not often one can leave a delighted customer, but WCI did exactly that. John Washington-Smith, Watercombe House, May 2011
The soak away on our septic tank was failing and as each winter came along the fear of the septic tank backing up became ever more likely. We decided we had to sort the problem out. Having contacted several companies and discussed options we decided upon WCI Pollution Control who had come up with a competitive price to install a sewage plant discharging into the ditch running along the front of our garden. Not being familiar with dealing with the regulatory bodies for gaining consent to discharge we were glad that we could rely on WCI`s expertise to do this on our behalf. When it came to installation of the sewage plant this was done quickly and with the minimum of mess. Naomi, David and their team were courteous throughout and were always willing to answer any questions we had throughout. We would be happy to recommend them.Julian and Amanda Webb, Hammonds Croft, September 2010
The soak away on our septic tank was failing and as each winter came along the fear of the septic tank backing up became ever more likely. We decided we had to sort the problem out. Having contacted several companies and discussed options we decided upon WCI Pollution Control who had come up with a competitive price to install a sewage plant discharging into the ditch running along the front of our garden. Not being familiar with dealing with the regulatory bodies for gaining consent to discharge we were glad that we could rely on WCI`s expertise to do this on our behalf. When it came to installation of the sewage plant this was done quickly and with the minimum of mess. Naomi, David and their team were courteous throughout and were always willing to answer any questions we had throughout. We would be happy to recommend them.Julian and Amanda Webb, Hammonds Croft, September 2010
Our estate began its life as an American WW2 hospital which we took over 50 years ago. All of the effluent from that estate flowed into a sewage processing works which had been unused since wartime. The whole system was derelict, rather complex and it required electricity and a regular labour force to operate. Whilst thumbing through a magazine one day I saw an article written by WCI about reed beds. A meeting was arranged with David Trump. The new system design used part of the old War Department system which catered for our own house, 3 holiday cottages and the 28 businesses who are now based on our estate. We have done all the work ourselves with guidance from David and when he visited recently he was surprised at what we had achieved. It may sound as though I have been paid to say this but I can honestly say that David and his daughter Naomi have been a joy to work with. He made it so easy. The system is working well and I am happy to show anyone what we have created.M and P Cuttell, Ullenwood Estate, 2011
Reed Beds
A reed bed or constructed wetland is a natural form of domestic or industrial waste water. Reed bed systems are an effective, sustainable and low maintenance method of sewage treatment. Aesthetically pleasing to the eye, the bed(s) requires no electricity and once matured provides an ecological habitat for a wide range of species. Reed beds are subject to Environment Agency Permitting guidelines.
WCI was one of the first pollution control sewage treatment companies to design and construct reed beds in the United Kingdom. We have been constructing them for over 15 years and have more than 1040 reed bed cells installed throughout the British Isles.
Types of Reed Bed
There are two main types of reed bed. Horizontal and vertical flow.
Horizontal flow (HF) reed beds are shallow lined structures which are constantly flooded to just below the gravel line. The effluent enters at one end and travels horizontally through the reeds `bacteria rich` root zone, before being discharged on the far side of the bed. The Common Reed Phragmites australis is able to transfer oxygen from its leaves, down through its stem and rhizomes into the gravels around the root system creating a high population of micro organisms.
Vertical flow (VF) reed beds are lined, deeper structures made up of layers of various sized gravels planted with reeds. It is a free draining structure where effluent is delivered to the top of the bed in batches (by gravity dosing unit or electrical pump), floods the surface of the bed and drains through. Each batch traps oxygen in the bed leading to an aerated system. VF systems are more effective than HF systems at ammonia removal due to increased oxygen levels within them. VF systems have a smaller footprint than HF systems and can cope with stronger effluents.
VF and HF beds can be installed together in a Hybrid system to achieve a higher standard of discharge or where influent strength is higher.
Reed beds can be installed to polish sewage treatment plant effluent in order to reach Environment Agency Permit criteria or to deal with a seasonal application (i.e. caravan parks) to reduce the discharge flow to a sensitive watercourse in the summer months. The systems can be adorned with educational sign boards and used to inform people of their function and role.
If you think a reed bed might be suitable for your property and would like to talk to one of our engineers please contact us now on 01984 623404.
What Maintenance does a Reed Bed Need?
Year in, year out, little maintenance is required. The primary tank and/or clarifiers will be need to be emptied every 6-12 months or when necessary. Until the reeds are fully established it will be necessary to weed the bed(s). This ensures that the reeds are the dominant species in the bed and the coverage is in excess of 70%, as specified by the EA Permit. After 3-5 growing seasons the established reeds can be cut down to encourage new growth from the rhizomes.
Please note: when maintaining the beds protective clothing, gloves and eye wear should be worn. We currently have 17 year old reed beds achieving EA permit criteria without the need for replacing the gravels. This has been achieved with regular simple maintenance of the bed and annual emptying of the preceding septic tank (as would be needed if the system was a soakaway system).
If you think a reed bed might be suitable for your property and would like to talk to one of our engineers please contact us now on 01984 623404.