AN innovative system that uses nature to clean up polluted rainwater has opened at the Airport.
Before, water polluted by aircraft fuel or de-icing fluid simply washed off the runway and into a stream running down to St Aubin’s Harbour.
But now the water flows through an aeration pond and two reed beds that break down the pollutants.
By the time the water has passed through the second bed, it is clean enough to be discharged into the stream.Following severe rainfall, the aeration pond receives the initial flush of run-off from the runway and taxiway.
Two paddle aerators provide microbes in the water with enough oxygen to start the breakdown of pollutants.
After a couple of days the water is pumped into the reed beds, which have been grown from seeds from St Ouen’s Pond.
Microbe colonies in and around the roots, together with tiny microbes in the gravel in which the reeds grow, then clean the water further.’Our reed bed system has the double benefit of being a sustainable technology and providing a low-cost, low-maintenance alternative to the procedures that would otherwise have to be employed,’ said Harbours and Airport president Senator Len Norman.
Article posted on 18th March, 2004 - 12.00am
Most Commented: