Southern Water has unveiled plans for a large wetland next to its treatment works in Staplefield.

The wetland, is the size of two football pitches (3.2 acres) and will help treatment at the site and is a nature-based solution to reducing Phosphorus into nearby watercourses.

How does the wetland work? 

Wetlands provide another way of treating wastewater, it is what is known as a nature-based solution and uses water tolerant plants as a filter. They can remove contaminants from wastewater, improve local biodiversity and have the green benefits of absorbing and storing carbon.

For the Staplefield wetland next to Cuckfield Road, it will work by having treated wastewater from the current treatment works feeding the wetland at one end and filtering through the wetland and removing effluent at the other.

The wetland’s creation has been carefully planned, including carrying out a feasibility study, groundwater risk assessments and environmental planning

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