Circular Economy: Seafield WwTW's Journey to OperationalExcellence Achieving Net Energy Production and Effective Sludge Management - Veolia UK & Cambi Success Story

Hafeez, N., Jamieson, S., Mitchell, G., Stewart, J., Maguire, K., Chauzy, J., Sahu

The 19th IWA Conference on Sludge Management Toward material cycle and low carbon society (2025)

Abstract

Wastewater treatment works (WwTWs) are significant energy consumers, responsible for 1-3% of global energy output. However, 20-50% of this energy can be conserved through operational excellence. Veolia UK's operational and maintenance expertise, coupled with strategic investment and improvement projects, transformed Seafield WwTW into an energy-efficient facility, producing high-quality fertiliser while adhering to strict discharge regulations for the Firth of Forth. Seafield WwTW serves 850,000 Edinburgh residents, processing 300 million litres of wastewater daily. The facility generates a surplus of 8% to 25% electricity, achieving 100% self-sufficiency, with the excess being exported to the national grid. This accomplishment was facilitated by Veolia, a leader in ecological transformation, through the implementation of its internal continuous improvement program: Veolia Optimised Operations and Maintenance (VOOM). The VOOM program at Seafield significantly optimised operations and enhanced efficiency, leading to reduced energy consumption, improved asset availability and reliability, and lowered operations and maintenance costs. This paper details the VOOM approach and its implementation, highlighting its substantial benefits and demonstrating its potential for replication in treatment plants worldwide. It illustrates that environmental stewardship and operational efficiency can be achieved concurrently. 

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