On Saturday September the 3rd, Swindon sewage works will open its doors to the general public. Thames Water is holding an open day to increase public awareness about what the company are doing to improve how waste is treated.
Also open on the day will be the Swindon sewage works lagoons, which are home to over a hundred species of birds. The lagoons have not been used since the 1980s but are now a wildlife haven and an important part of Swindon’s environmental diversity.
The sewage works will open their gates to the public between 10m and 4pm and visitors to the site will also receive a free water saving device on the day.
The chief operating officer for Thames Water, Steve Shine, stated:
“We’re the UK’s largest water company, providing THE essential service for 14 million customers across London and the Thames Valley, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This is a massive responsibility and we work hard to be good neighbours.
“The majority of what we do is out of sight – out of mind. Opening up some of our large operational sites like Slough provides a unique and exciting opportunity for our customers who are curious to know more about what we do, to see it for themselves.”
The site is the only one in the UK which uses a granular activated carbon method to ‘polish’ the treated sewage.