MWH investigates Manchester Ship Canal water quality
A major project to investigate the water quality of the Manchester Ship Canal, relating to fish and invertebrate life is being undertaken by leading environmental engineering company and water expert MWH.
Totalling £900,000, the project is being undertaken by MWH and three partner organisations on behalf of United Utilities. It is looking at a range possible factors influencing water quality. These include run-off from farmers' fields, the quality of water coming into the canal from the various rivers that discharge into it, and the quality of water coming into the canal from water treatment plants.
"The waterway does not currently meet the standards laid down under the European Union's Freshwater Fish Directive relating to dissolved oxygen and ammonia levels, so we are working with partners APEM Ltd, RPA Ltd and the University of Stirling to examine the water quality of the canal relating to the fish and invertebrates that live along it", explains Steve Kenney, MWH's Project and Technical Manager.
The eight strong MWH team, based at Cygnet Court, Centre Park, Warrington, has designed a comprehensive computer model of the waterway itself and the seven rivers, including the Mersey and the Irwell, that run into it. The model also incorporates the water and waste water run offs that discharge into the canal, to examine the overall impact on the ecology of the waterway.
One of MWH's partners in the project is APEM who are aquatic scientists looking at the fish and invertebrate population of the canal, how numerous the various species are and their health. The other two partners, the University of Stirling and RPA, are undertaking research to underpin the project. The university is undertaking a 'willingness to pay' survey, taking a representative sample of local people and asking them how much they would be willing to pay for improvements in water quality, while RPA is undertaking cost benefit analysis - looking at the benefit of any potential changes versus the cost involved.
"The freshwater stretch of the Manchester Ship Canal that we are looking at is 24 miles long and receives water from a 2000 km2 catchment including storm outfalls and wastewater treatment works, and our computer model has to take into account all of this. There could be a number of reasons for the existing water quality, and the final report will look at all of these, with the computer model being used to assess the impact of various measures it would be possible for United Utilities to take," concludes Steve.
Rob Bryan project manager for United Utilities said: "The project began as an assessment of the impact discharges from Davyhulme wastewater treatment plant were having on the canal's water quality, but we decided to expand this look at the range of other factors. This means it will be a really comprehensive report and hugely valuable for future work such as the implementation of the coming Water Framework Directive."
The project began in November last year and continues into early 2008, with a report due to be made to United Utilities in February next year.
