ARM Ltd has won the @one Project of the Month Award for May 2009 for a reed bed designed and installed for Anglian Water. 

The site at Burnham Market had a history of flow non-compliance, with prolonged discharges from the storm tank in dry weather conditions. This was caused by high levels of infiltration into the sewerage system when the ground water level rises rapidly.

A reed bed was considered the best option to provide the additional treatment capacity as it had the lowest whole life cost, smallest carbonfootprint and was the most reliable of all options available. The Environment Agency (EA) had to be convinced that any solution proposed would meet rigorous criteria. The project team delivered a reed bed that sits easily in the landscape and that has kept environmental principles at the heart of the project.

The provision of a reed bed met the flow criteria but also had many extra positive points; low energy demand, low carbon footprint and suitability for the landscape. Allied with this was a commitment by the project team to reuse and recycle materials from site, propagate specialist flora to improve biodiversity and wherever possible, reduce the impact on the local environment with reduced vehicle movements.

A 3-tier 1,000m²  horizontal flow reed bed was designed and installed by ARM Ltd.