Project: Former Swimming Baths, Elgin
Value: £170,000
Timescale: 18 months
The site required remedial action to facilitate the new build of an Aldi supermarket. Hydrocarbon contamination was encountered across the site and offsite disposal was not possible. In-situ remediation of smear zone hydrocarbons was carried out whilst the construction phase of the new supermarket was underway.
ERS engineers designed a bespoke remediation system which could be set up whilst construction continued and continue to operate once construction was complete and the supermarket was operational.
A bioslurping plant with high vacuum was installed using a permanent infrastructure of 36 wells to control the water table, expose the smear zone, enhance volatilisation of the contaminants and encourage air flow to further enhance aerobic bioremediation.
Monitoring of microbiological remedial activity was undertaken by in-situ respiration testing (oxygen consumption rate) within monitoring wells using remotely-situated monitors. This allowed the progress of biological remediation to be tracked, enabling ongoing system optimisation.
Our successful design both fulfilled local planning requirements and enabled construction and occupation of the site to proceed without delay. This was coupled with effective management of the installation and monitoring programmes, meaning there was minimal disturbance to either the construction works or later, the operation of the supermarket.
