The wastewater facility at Balladoole was opened during the summer of 2017 as part of Manx Utilities Regional Sewage Treatment Strategy("RSTS") Phase 1.
Phase 1 of Manx Utilities RSTS programme was approved by the Manx Government in April 2011.
Phase 1 of programme was completed within Budget serves the following communities:
Booilushag
Bride
Corony
Dalby
Glen Maye
Glen Mona
Jurby
Kirk Michael
Maughold
Patrick.
The programme also brought effective treatment for the first time to the catchments of Port Leaigue, Andreas and Ramsey.
Balladoole (Ramsey) is now the largest Integrated Rotating Biological Contactor ("IRBC") sewage treatment facility on the Isle of Man.
Wikipedia provides the following explanation of Rotating Biological Contract wastewater treatment:
'A rotating biological contactor or RBC is a biological treatment process used in the treatment of wastewater following primary treatment. The primary treatment process means protection by removal of grit and sand and coarse material through a screening process, followed by a removal process of sediment by settling. The RBC process involves allowing the wastewater to come in contact with a biological medium in order to remove pollutants in the wastewater before discharge of the treated wastewater to the environment, usually a body of water (river, lake or ocean). A rotating biological contactor is a type of secondary (Biological) treatment process. It consists of a series of closely spaced, parallel discs mounted on a rotating shaft which is supported just above the surface of the waste water. Microorganisms grow on the surface of the discs where biological degradation of the wastewater pollutants takes place.' (
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'How do IRBCs work?
IRBCs use a natural process to treat sewage and the process is sensitive to the waste that it receives.
The IRBC is intended to operate continuously in order to maintain the purification process, which is achieved naturally. The pH of sewage is normally around neutral (6-7) and therefore requires no additions of chemicals to maintain.
Non-screened crude sewage enters the primary zone. Gross solids settle, and, via a slot in the partition wall separating this compartment from the next, the settled sewage flows into a second compartment where further settlement takes place. Primary sludge settling on the floor of each compartment and floating matter, as scum, are mostly retained in the first compartment. The effluent from the last settlement compartment then enters the biozone to come immediately into contact with the rotating discs carrying the biomass. The partially treated effluent from the first biozone stage passes through a porthole in the stage wall to the second biozone and so on through to the end of the last biozone stage.
The biozone discs support biological life/biomass, which attaches itself to the discs' surfaces. This biomass automatically builds up to a maximum density as ideal conditions prevail; food in the form of dissolved and suspended organic material in the settled sewage, and oxygenation of the biomass as the discs pass through the air before becoming immersed in the liquid flow during the complete cycle of the shaft. Biological slime continuously sheds and new life reforms to maintain the purification process.
Following the biological process, the effluent, containing suspended matter comprising dead bacterial growths, non-organic matter in suspension and leached live bacteria - flows from the last biozone stage into the final settlement zone.
The re-circulation facility returns the settled sludge and surface scum from the final settlement tank back into the primary zone at pre-set cycle times.' (
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Effluent from Ramsey and Andreas is now pumped to the works at Balladoole, where once treated it returns under gravity to Vollan to be discharged at the original sea outfall.
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