Klargester upgrades holiday park drainage system

Nethercraig Caravan Park in Ayrshire was purchased two years ago as a popular site for touring caravans.

The new owners were keen to look at upgrading and expanding the accommodation to incorporate luxury lodges.

The challenge was how to manage this transition sensitively to improve on the existing facilities and the customer experience, while maintaining a focus on the environmental impact of any upgrade.

One of the first and most crucial jobs was to review the inadequate drainage system.

This consisted of a central toilet block discharging into a septic tank; the poorly filtered effluent from the septic then was passed straight into the nearby River Islay.

The site's owner, Gordon McCormick, consulted with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) who confirmed that the existing septic discharge was unacceptable.

Gordon then called in Chris Brand, technical sales manager, Klargester for advice.

Chris said: 'The first step was to agree an effluent quality with SEPA, which was set at 95 per cent compliance - very high in other words, but which wais to be expected given the park's situation'.

'This directed us towards a top-of-the-range sewage treatment solution in the Klargester Envirosafe 80MEQ.

'We worked with the sites owners to design a bespoke treatment plant that was not only sensitive to the surroundings but which also provided for future trading patterns, park expansion, and for the predicted seasonal loading'.

'The solution to the seasonal loading was to install not one compressor - as is typical - but two small compressors to aerate the system and ensure correct functioning of the Envirosafe'.

Chris added: 'Two compressors means that during the quieter winter months, one could be switched off, reducing carbon footprint of the site and its operational costs while maintaining the viability of the Envirosafe.

During the summer, both will be working but should there be a compressor malfunction, the system will still be operational, albeit at a lower level, until the problem is fixed.

This minimises any concerns about the environmental impact on the Islay.

The Envirosafe also has a low profile, as it is installed underground, reducing its visual impact'.

Certified Klargester Installers, Robert Smith Drainage, who managed the installation, was chosen for its extensive experience of working with large tanks and their understanding of the local ground conditions.