Hosted by Sundridge Park Golf Club, the recent series of seminars given by water management company, Hydroscape, highlighted the legal requirements faced by all golf clubs for the prevention of contamination to ground water.
In his presentation Hydroscape MD, Peter Roberts, emphasised the need carefully to monitor and control contaminated wastewater from equipment washing operations together with the storage and handling of fuels and chemicals.
Referring to recent changes in legislation that have now made it a criminal offence knowingly to allow the discharge or disposal of certain substances, including mineral oils and chemicals such as pesticides on to the ground, where they may percolate through to and contaminate groundwater, Peter Roberts emphasised the fact that potential penalties for infringement of the law could now incur severe fines and, in the worst scenario, imprisonment.
In support, Jan Hookie from the southern region office of the Environment Agency, spoke about the importance of groundwater resources, particularly in areas such as the south east of England, where up to 85% of drinking water comes from underground supplies, and showed how even minor amounts of contamination can have disastrous results and carry significant cost in environmental clean up charges.
Jan explained that golf courses who wash off equipment continuously in the same location, without a containment and treatment or safe disposal system, by law need a commercial waste disposal licence and, if washing out sprayers allowing the contaminant to fall on to the ground, are potentially in breach of the 1998 Groundwater Regulations.
More than ninety delegates attended the seminars, spread over two days, and were given the opportunity the see the Mi-T-M Biological Wastewater Treatment System (Bio Series) recently installed at Sundridge Park by Hydroscape.
Bio Series is the latest in biological treatment systems and is designed to deal with some of today’s toughest wastewater problems. The biological treatment turns organic contaminants into carbon dioxide and water, through the process of biological digestion. The distributors say that the Bio series provides lower maintenance requirements than any other recycle system currently available, with the added benefit of extremely low running costs and easy operation.
Hydroscape were awarded the contract by Sundridge Park Golf Club to design and construct a totally integrated wash water, diesel fuel and chemical spill containment and treatment facility to ensure the club met the new legislation.
Speaking on behalf of the club, course manager Paul Ruskin stated, “We are delighted with the installation of our new Mi-T-M system and the professionalism and high standards shown by Hydroscape throughout the whole project. They took on all of the associated construction works and gave us complete peace of mind. Although we know there are other systems on the market, we truly believe we have bought the best!”
Hydroscope Ltd., Water House, 10 Carvers Industrial Estate, Southampton Road, Ringwood, Hants BH24 1JS Tel: 01425 476261 Fax: 01425 472380 e-mail: peterr@hydroscape.co.uk
Environment Agency www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Sundridge Park Golf Club www.spgc.co.uk
Preventing contamination to ground water
