Heathrow Airport has appointed ARM Group in partnership with Naturally Wallace Consulting to upgrade the lagoons and reed beds at the Mayfield Farm wetland treatment facility.
The appointment follows a successful trial of Forced Bed Aeration (FBA) technology in the winter of 2009 and 2010. FBA is a system that forces air through reed beds to improve their effectiveness and treatment capabilities.
“Airports like Heathrow have to use strong de-icing solutions for safety reasons during extreme weather conditions,” ARM Group Director Tori Sellers said. “The lagoons and reed beds at Mayfield Farm treat the surface water runoff from the airport to ensure the local environment is not adversely affected.”
“The redesign at Mayfield Farm reuses the entire existing system of lagoons and reed beds,” Naturally Wallace Consulting President Scott Wallace said. “However, by aerating the lagoons and introducing FBA to the reed beds, the system has become up to 14 times more effective.”
“The upgrade at Mayfield Farm will benefit the airline community, passengers and the surrounding environment,” Heathrow Environmental Operations Manager Russell Knight said. “During extreme weather, the de-icer is essential in enabling us to keep the airfield safe and flights moving.”
Source: Naturally Wallace Consulting
