Are Oil Separator Alarms a Legal Requirement? UK Legal Requirements for Oil Separator Alarms

In the UK, businesses that discharge surface water potentially contaminated with hydrocarbons (such as from vehicle servicing areas, car parks or industrial yards) increasingly face stringent regulatory requirements to prevent pollution of drains, groundwater and watercourses. One key area of compliance is the use and ongoing management of oil separators – including the installation of […]
Do Attenuation Systems Require Upstream Treatment?

Put simply, the CIRIA SuDS Manual (c753) within the design assessment checklists require ‘suitable silt interception upstream’ of most attenuation systems. One of the central concepts of the SuDS Manual is that run-off should be treated as close as possible to source; it must then be attenuated and finally slowly released, in that order. Jo […]
SPEL WRc Approved Packaged Pumping Stations: 30 Year Warranty

SPEL Packaged Pumping Stations – WRc Approved Tested for the ultimate and reliable performance with 30 year Warranty Haskayne WWTW Amazon, Swindon SPEL Products have been designing package pumping stations […]
SPEL StormCheck®: The Off-Site Flow Control Solution for SuDS Compliance

Surface water management is no longer just about moving water, it’s about doing it safely, sustainably, and cost-effectively. With stricter regulations and the growing need for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), engineers require solutions that deliver performance without slowing down construction schedules. The SPEL StormCheck® Flow Control Chamber is designed to meet these criteria. Built entirely […]
UK High Court Ruling: Chicken Manure Now Classified as ‘Waste’

What Does This Mean for Intensive Poultry Farms? In a landmark decision, the UK High Court has recently classified chicken manure as ‘waste’ under environmental legislation. This change brings significant implications for intensive poultry farms and units across the country, as they must now manage and store chicken farm waste in compliance with stricter waste […]
New Non-Statutory SuDS Standards for England – what can they deliver for water quality in England?

In June, we saw the publication of the new, Non-Statutory National Standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). These new standards are intended to help developers and their consultants to design, maintain, and operate surface water drainage systems for new developments and retrofit SuDS. They have been published to promote consistency and to help ensure the […]
Where Can I Use a Hydrodynamic Vortex Separator?

Hydrodynamic vortex separators are well-known worldwide as effective stormwater treatment devices, particularly for removing silts and sediment. In this article, we will use the SPEL Smartceptor to discuss where hydrodynamic vortex separators can be used with real-world case studies. The CIRIA SuDS Manual (c753) states that stormwater treatment should be installed upstream of attenuation systems. […]
Schedule 3 & Good SuDS Systems

Understanding Schedule 3 Schedule 3 is the buzzword in the water and drainage industry but what will it do and how well do we understand it? In simple terms, Schedule 3 will mandate the inclusion of Sustainable Drainage Systems, or SuDS as we know it, into all new developments as part of the planning process. […]
Rainwater Harvesting With SPEL RainSave

Rainwater harvesting is simply the collection of rainwater from cleaner surfaces to then be stored for reuse. When it rains, water runs off roof areas, into a drain, and away underground and we tend to forget that it has to go somewhere and meet up with all the other rain coming down the pipes. […]
Why Maintenance Is Essential For Your SPEL Asset

As the focus on water quality in our rivers lakes and oceans increases, pollution incidents have become environmentally unacceptable, with clean-up costs and fines running into hundreds of thousands of pounds, not to mention the bad publicity and brand impact. As a nation, we spend millions of pounds each year installing efficient site drainage and […]