A zero emissions first at Davyhulme WwTW

Through Murphy, United Utilities has secured a 23-tonne SANY SY215E excavator to prepare the ground ready for the construction of a new building. The Murphy team are also constructing the building itself, which will house the latest technology for reducing phosphorus in treated wastewater before it is returned to the environment.

Once commissioned, this process will remove up to 85 per cent of the phosphorus from the final effluent. The recovered phosphorus will be transformed into pellets that can be used for slow-release fertiliser in the agriculture industry.

The excavator operates with zero emissions and significantly reduced noise levels. It is powered by a state-of-the-art Lithium Iron Phosphate (cobalt-free) CATL battery, offering a more environmentally friendly option to traditional diesel excavators.

Designed for high performance with dramatically reduced environmental impact, the machine is part of Murphy’s growing electric plant fleet operating across the UK and Ireland.

With a battery life that can last up to eight hours with a one hour charging time, a productive full day of operation can be easily achieved through overnight charging.

The excavator was trialled at Davyhulme alongside piling works to compare its performance against conventional diesel excavators.

Tony Elliott, UU’s Regional Delivery Manager for Greater Manchester said ‘This innovation is part of United Utilities ongoing commitment to minimising environmental impact across our projects. The electric excavator at Davyhulme will help advance fuel and operational efficiency across the scheme.’

Richard Nash, Project Director at Murphy, said; “At Murphy we proactively seek out green energy solutions, so we were delighted to take part in this trial. It provided a fantastic opportunity to explore the excavator’s capabilities, giving us valuable insights to confidently plan and expand the use of electric plant across our Davyhulme project in the years ahead.”

The works at Davyhulme are being delivered through United Utilities new Enterprise delivery model, which brings together seven design and construction partners, plus United Utilities, into one integrated team.