Blackburn Meadows Wastewater Treatment Works (Phosphorus Removal)
Blackburn Meadows, Sheffield, South Yorkshire · 2022-2024 (Construction completed by December 2024) · £40m
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchUse of CoMag® system for enhanced settling rates and increased performance - Significant temporary works for culvert tie-ins, including silent piling technology with pre-augering - Use of BIM 360 as a Common Data Environment (CDE) for structured, auditable, and transparent information flow - Designing for sustainability: use of precast panels with reduced cement content (50% GGBS replacement) for CO2e savings
Key engineering challenges
Removing phosphorus to meet stringent environmental standards (0.3 mg/l Total Phosphorus) - Integrating a Tertiary Solids Removal (TSR) plant incorporating Evoqua’s CoMag® technology into existing infrastructure - Excavating around and breaking into Victorian-era brick culverts buried at 6m cover for flow diversion - Minimising environmental risk and disruption during temporary over-pumping operations
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Yorkshire Water
- Lead contractor
- Glanua Group
- Lead designers
- Stantec UK (outline design), AtkinsRéalis (civils design), MEP Projects (UK) Ltd (design assistance & hazard studies)
- Project type
- upgrade
- Scale
- Treats up to 4,000 l/s; Target 0.3 mg/l Total Phosphorus
- Disciplines
- Civil; process; environmental; mechanical; electrical; digital engineering
- Standards & frameworks
- AMP7 WINEP Programme; Environment Agency discharge consents
Sources: Yorkshire Water: https://www.yorkshirewater.com/news-media/news-articles/2023/yorkshire-water-improving-river-don-with-40m-investment-at-blackburn-meadows/ (Accessed: 2026-06-10) - WaterProjectsOnline: https://waterprojectsonline.com/case-studies/blackburn-meadows-wwtw-2025/ (Accessed: 2026-06-10)