Water

Target 2006/07: To initiate improvements in water quality monitoring, with installation of new monitoring equipment and to initiate additional water sampling, including a new biological monitoring programme.
Performance against target: Target achieved

The issue

There are two main issues with respect to water management at Stansted Airport. One is our water consumption and the other is the management of potential pollutants such as de-icer and aircraft fuel. The airport’s self-contained drainage system collects all surface water and we ensure that the infrastructure and procedures are in place to handle this process effectively.

Our approach

Our key objective is to ensure that any water discharges are within set limits agreed with the Environment Agency (EA) and that we improve the efficiency of water use in an effort to reduce consumption.

Our strategy is:

• To maintain and improve Stansted’s self-contained drainage system which collects surface water run-off from operational areas. This flow is passed through oil separators to remove spills, before being drained into a series of balancing ponds located on the airport, where it is analysed to meet strict EA standards before being released into local rivers and streams;
• To ensure there is clear responsibility for managing water issues at the airport; and
• To identify and seek to implement new techniques to improve water efficiency.

Our performance

The following is a summary of our water management performance during 2006/07:

Water consumption:
In the last 12 months we started work on a water efficiency study. The study will be completed during 2007 and we will devise a new water efficiency plan for implementation in 2008. Whilst we are waiting for that work to be completed, some of the initiatives we have been involved with include:

• Installation of a second vehicle washing facility which uses 70% recycled water;
• Successful trial of waterless urinals in staff toilet facilities; and
• Continued support in the development of methods and techniques to use a ‘dry wash’ method for washing aircraft.

Water quality:
In 2006/07 94.7% of our discharges met EA standards for surface water quality discharged from our balancing pond system. Significant progress was made with our target for the year and the following is a summary of the progress we achieved:

• Identified an opportunity to improve our compliance rating by purchasing portable water quality monitors and improving procedures to analyse water quality
  samples;
• Introduced a biological monitoring programme and conducted several surveys on our surface water drainage system. The results have helped us identify and implement changes to our monitoring to help improve performance;
• Improved the control system of one of our balancing ponds (Pond C), which reduced the risk of pollution and flooding;
• Started work to create a balancing pond telemetry system to enable remote monitoring and control of equipment. This will help us to respond immediately we become aware of a potential risk to water quality;
• Developed an airport chemical register which will identify the volumes and types of chemicals held on site. The register will be used to manage and reduce the risks associated with chemical storage and their potential impact on our water drainage system; and
• Conducted a risk assessment of potentially harmful activities that could affect water quality at Stansted. We will now develop a risk tracking system to improve the way in which we manage specific risks to water quality.

Our plans

We wish to install a surface water telemetry system that would enable us to monitor and control the equipment that operates our water drainage system remotely. This will increase the speed with which we react to events that impact on water quality and will also reduce the risk of pollution and flooding to the balancing pond system.

We also wish to continue a water efficiency study and develop a plan to improve subsequent performance in this area.

Targets 2007:

• At least 95% of our discharges to meet Environment Agency standards for the quality of surface water discharges.
• To improve the monitoring and control of our surface water drainage system through the installation of additional water quality monitors and a telemetry system.

Data summary