Reedbed Filtration used for Domestic, Agricultural and Industrial applications.
Reedbed System Dirty Water In Clear water Out Meat Packing Reedbed
Click to go to the following :-
How Clean is Clean Sizes & Prices Living Soak Away
Reedbed Test Results Mobile Reedbed Results Reedbed Photos
What are YES Vertical Flow Reedbeds Check List of questions
How to look after your Reedbed System Czech Trial Reedbed -12 C + 2m snow
Go to these other pages for :-
Reedbeds for Caravan Sites Reedbed For Industry Reedbeds for Agriculture
YES Reedbeds comply with, and exceed current accepted minimum design specifications for reed beds treating settled domestic waste water, as outlined in the GBG42 Part 2 ( Good Building Guide ), copyright BRE 2000 printed by DETR
How Clean is Clean, Clear, Stream Water Quality
YES Reedbeds produce clean, clear, stream water quality, outflows. All water treatment utilises bacterial breakdown in one form or another. YES Reedbeds create conditions for aerobic bacterial breakdown of biological components. The outflows from YES Reedbeds remain full of bacteria.
Just as you would not expect to be able to drink water from the stream, then you would not use outflows from our Reedbeds for any form of drinking purpose, re-use in the toilet system, or watering vegetables. The watering of grass and lawns, trees and coppice willow is a perfect re-use of this water resource.
Indeed the idea of collecting roof water for use in the toilet system, flushing the toilet water through a Reedbed, to irrigate a willow coppice, which then produces woven willow products, is a fine example of the intelligent use of this ever more precious resource.
Reedbed Sizes & Prices
YES Ltd has now to be VAT registered. Therefore all prices below are subject to VAT for business customers. The prices are as follows :-
The
sizes and prices for Reedbeds are as follows:-
Price
VAT
Total Price
*4m2
- 6 m2 for 4 to 6 people
£1815 £317.63p
£2132.63p
*10m2
for 10 people / 1000 L/day £2530
£442.75p
£2972.75p
*20m2
for 20 people /
2000 L/day £3080
£539
£3619
*30m2
for 30 people /
3000 L/day £3740
£654.50p
£4394.50p
*50m2 for
50 people / 5000 L/day £4500
£787.50p
£5287.50p
*100m2
for 100 people / 10000 L/day £7260 £1270.50p £7755
*200m2 for 200 people / 20000 L/day £14,000 £2454 £16,450
*300m2 for 300 people / 30000 L/day £20,000 £3500 £23,500
*400m2 for 400 people / 40000 L/day £26,000 £4550 £30,550
There is no charge for the construction of The Living Soakaways
These prices are for fully installed systems, anywhere in the UK mainland. They are for normal conditions. Abnormal, or difficult digging conditions ( solid rock, concrete, tarmac, hidden foundations etc ) may require additional time and equipment. But these would be no more than nominal additional fees.
Costs for fencing and further pipe work, over and above what is required for the construction of the Reedbeds, are additional to the prices quoted.
Payment
is required on completion of the construction. This fee is for design &
build, materials, JCB, installation, return visits and sample testing. Costs
for extra construction work, over and above what is required for the building of
the Reedbeds, are additional to the prices quoted.
With all the best will in the
world, we are willing to help as much as we can. However, we can only be
responsible for the building of the Reedbed systems. We cannot be held
responsible for situations outside our control, or experience.
If you have any specific requirements regarding the groundwork, please let us know while we are on site. This way we can ensure you are happy with the finished works.
Any unauthorised alterations to the Reedbeds are not the responsibility of YES Ltd, and remedial work will be charged for.
( People keep making alterations to our
beds grrrr )
What YES Vertical Flow Reedbeds Are
Click on the following underlined, highlighted links for further information
What Vertical Reedbeds Are; Check List of questions How to look after them;
So Why a Modulated System ? Reedbeds use the Same Technology as Sewage Works
YES Reedbeds are built throughout the UK
In the Beginning Reedbeds can save your marriage, its true
The YES Reedbed
Systems are vertical flow, aerobic, solid soil, modulated, systems. This allows
them to be quite efficient on the area of land required to build them. However, a pre-treatment / settlement tank system is necessary to filter out the solids,
before the effluent flows into the Reedbed System.
YES Reedbeds use a sodium bentonite impermeable layer, which ensures what goes in at the top, comes out of the bottom, and does not soak away into the surrounding land. The sodium bentonite comes as a dust, which through hydrolysis, sticks to the moisture in the walls and floor of the beds. This dust then expands by 20 times, creating a wet paste or sludge, through which water does not pass.
The Yes Reedbeds are designed to be aerobic ( with air ). It is in anaerobic systems ( without air ) where smells build up. Yes-Reedbeds are designed to be full of air, which is the reason there is no smell in our systems. Indeed, we could stand in the middle of one of our Reedbeds, after it has been filtering sewage for many years, and there will be no smell, not even on hot days. You can imagine how close you need to be before you can smell a sewage works on any day of the week.
Surface Water must be excluded from the flow into the Reedbeds. Fencing will be required on sites subject to animal grazing ( cows, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, rabbits etc ). This is not included in our contract, or price.
The YES Reedbeds
will work well on installation ( 50% reduction ), and increase in effectiveness over the following
three months ( 95% reduction ). They can be constructed at any time of the year, avoiding frosts
and drought. What we propose for our constructed Reedbed is as follows :-
·
We will design & build the Reedbed Filtration System
·
We will make return visits for the first year, making sure it works
·
Undertake Tests to ensure outflow meets with Environment Agency
discharge consent criteria which is 20mg/L
BOD + 20mg/L solids ( EC ruling )
·
Ammonia levels should be reduced to 4 to 6mg/L within 3 months
Payment
is required on completion of the construction. This fee is for design &
build, materials, JCB, installation, return visits and sample testing. Costs
for extra construction work, over and above what is required for the building of
the Reedbeds, are additional to the prices quoted.
With all the best will in the
world, we are willing to help as much as we can. However, we can only be
responsible for the building of the Reedbed systems. We cannot be held
responsible for situations outside our control, or experience.
YES Reedbeds comply with, and exceed current accepted minimum design specifications for reed beds treating settled domestic waste water, as outlined in the GBG42 Part 2 ( Good Building Guide ), copyright BRE 2000 printed by DETR
So Why Modulated and not One Single Bed System ?
Water passes through a vertical flow on a slight inclined angle, and while the inflow is spread across the surface it will taper off towards the middle, towards the end of the bed. So by building two or more consecutive beds you can interrupt the angles and tapers, and be certain of the greatest area being involved in the bacterial breakdown of the pollutants.
Also if you have one single system, and something goes wrong in the middle, you have to closed down the whole system and try to solve the problem.
With a modulated system should something go wrong, it is likely to happen in one bed only, allowing the remainder of the system to continue operating as normal, while the problem is fixed.
And in addition, where the Reedbeds are treating highly concentrated effluents, there is a possibility they will need replacing at some point in the future. Having modulated systems means that you can measure when the top beds need replacing. You can the replace the top beds only, one at a time, when funds allow you to. The bottom beds should never need replacing, so long as the top beds are renewed when necessary.
So Modular Reedbed Systems are by far the best for operation, maintenance and future replacement ( where this is necessary )
This year, two previous customers have come to us to ask for more Reedbeds. In both cases there has been a doubling of their businesses Our plans are to add further modules to double the current sizes, and we can do this at the prices originally charged. Both systems are approximately 6 and 7 years old.
Check List of questions to decide if YES Reedbeds are suitable for your situation
Q1 How many people is it for ? ( maximum number ), or what is the daily volume ?
Sizes are based on 1m2 per person per day, or 100 litres per m2 per day ( minimum size = 4m2 )
A 6 person household would require 6m2 Reedbed. A Reedbed for a visitor Centre needs to be sized for the maximum number of people. Should the maximum number of people be 15, then you need a 15m2 Reedbed.
Q2 Is there a slope ? YES NO
Vertical flow systems need a slope, into which they will fit nicely. Where there is not a slope, then the liquids will have to be pumped from the septic tank. Pumps can cost no more than £150, ( usually £60 ) and need only to operate at approximately 1 minute per hour, every hour, or for a minimum float level. Flow rates need to be a small amount, and often.
Q3 Where will it discharge To Land? or To Water Course?
Discharging to a water course is subject to a discharge consent from The Environment Agency. Soaking away to land requires land suitable to do so. A percolation test is simple, but very informative. Discharge to land needs to be more than 10m from a water course, and many ditches are deemed water courses. It is important to get it right.
Soaking away to land relies on the percolation of the outflow from the Reedbeds, through the soils. A percolation test would help ( we can do this, or we can let you know how to do it, its really easy ). We can also construct a living soak away. This living soakaway needs to have the same surface area as the Reedbeds. It will be an area of only soil depth, covered with gravels, and planted up with iris, reeds and willow. These plants will actively transpire the liquids, reducing the volume flowing through the soils.
Q4 Do The Environment Agency and The Planning Department need to know of the proposed developments
Yes they both need to be advised of your plans, as you are the land owner / occupier. It is important to make them feel they are taking part in the development. So invite their thoughts for how to do things, this will be better than antagonizing them !!! You still need their approval to go ahead with your plans.
Q5 What if these above authorities suggest Reedbeds don't work and they would prefer you to use an alternative package treatment plant.
YES Reedbeds comply with, and exceed current accepted minimum design specifications for reed beds treating settled domestic waste water, as outlined in the GBG42 Part 2 ( Good Building Guide ), copyright BRE 2000 printed by DETR
Ask to see one of these treatment plants working to their specifications, and to show you their test results. They would need to have some data for them to make their preferences, and for them not to accept Reedbeds. Of course their data may come from Reedbeds other than vertical flow Reedbeds. I have yet to see any system working as good, litre to litre, metre to metre, as YES Reedbeds. If I knew of a better system I would be building them.
Indeed this year YES Reedbeds have replaced three package treatment systems, which were all required by the authorities, and all of which have failed. One treatment plant discharged ammonia at 80mg/L. Raw cattle slurry has ammonia levels of 100mg/Litre, so this disc system was clearly not working at all. The system was anaerobic (without oxygen), and ammonia does not break down in anaerobic conditions.
YES Reedbeds are aerobic ( full of oxygen, in the soil air spaces throughout the beds ) and levels of ammonia, nitrates and phosphates are normally reduced by 98%.
*** Reed plants grow in springtime, usually during May. Of course this does depend on the weather and climate, which changes year to year. The main growth is during June and July.
So when you look at your Reedbed in March and there seems to be a lack of plant growth, don't panic, I haven't sold you dead grass and mud. The outflow should still be exactly as expected, and totally unaffected by top growth of the plants. YES Reedbeds work well all year round.
WARNING: A number of Package Treatment Companies are offering their own design of Reedbeds in a tray. We believe this to be an inferior design.
We believe Yes-Reedbeds remain the best Reedbed Filtration Systems, with the best after sales service, for the best possible prices. Don't be fooled by inferior systems.
We undertake many tests, leading to more results than can fit onto this web site. However, The Environment Agency took samples of our site in The Isle of Wigh, in 2000. Their results were as follows:-
BOD 8mg/L
Suspended Solids 8mg/L
Ammonia 4mg/L
Phosphates not recorded
The Initial tests results for the caravan site near Morpeth in 2000, were as follows :-
BOD 10mg/L
Suspended Solids 10mg/L
Ammonia 6mg/L
Tests of a Caravan site near Alnwick were as follows:-
|
Site
No. |
Size |
Time |
BOD |
COD |
Sus
Solids |
Ammonia |
Information |
|
1 |
300m |
3
months |
8 |
25 |
8 |
4 |
Caravan
Site Nth UK |
|
1 |
|
6
months |
14 |
40 |
16 |
6 |
August
Bank Holliday |
|
1 |
|
12
months |
12 |
35 |
10 |
4 |
|
|
2 |
200m |
3
months |
10 |
32 |
8 |
4 |
Caravan
Site Nth UK |
|
2 |
|
6
months |
8 |
26 |
6 |
4 |
|
|
2 |
|
24
months |
12 |
34 |
12 |
4 |
Summer
holiday period |
|
3 |
4m |
3
months |
10 |
28 |
9 |
4 |
Domestic
House |
|
3 |
|
6
months |
8 |
25 |
6 |
4 |
|
|
3 |
|
12
months |
8 |
25 |
6 |
4 |
|
|
4 |
30m |
3
months |
12 |
38 |
12 |
6 |
Small
Industrial Units |
|
4 |
|
6
months |
10 |
32 |
8 |
4 |
|
|
4 |
|
12
months |
6 |
20 |
6 |
4 |
|
|
5 |
10m |
6
months |
10 |
28 |
12 |
4 |
Domestic
House |
|
5 |
|
9
months |
8 |
25 |
8 |
4 |
|
|
5 |
|
12
months |
8 |
20 |
6 |
4 |
|
|
6 |
4m |
3
months |
8 |
25 |
6 |
4 |
|
|
6 |
|
6
months |
12 |
38 |
12 |
6 |
|
|
6 |
|
12
months |
10 |
32 |
8 |
4 |
|
|
7 |
50m |
3
months |
12 |
38 |
12 |
4 |
|
|
7 |
|
6
months |
14 |
40 |
16 |
6 |
|
|
7 |
|
12
months |
6 |
22 |
8 |
4 |
|
|
8 |
100m |
3
months |
10 |
32 |
8 |
4 |
|
|
8 |
|
6
months |
12 |
38 |
12 |
4 |
|
|
8 |
|
12
months |
14 |
40 |
16 |
6 |
|
|
9 |
200m |
3
months |
12 |
38 |
12 |
4 |
Caravan
Site Nth UK |
|
9 |
|
6
months |
10 |
34 |
10 |
4 |
|
|
9 |
|
12
months |
8 |
25 |
6 |
4 |
|
These are some of the Reedbed results we have. The list is
more extensive, but I suspect you get an idea what to expect from your YES
Reedbed.
Click to goto Mobile Reedbed Results
You can expect the BOD and Suspended Solids to be 8mg/L mid week when people are out at work, 12mg/L at the weekend, and 14mg/L when you have a party.
We recently called to the Environment Agency and were told discharge consent to water is 20mg/L BOD, 30mg/L Suspended Solids, and 10mg/L ammonia. This was for quantities less than 5 cubic metres ( 5 tons ) per day.
Click to goto Mobile Reedbed Results
We built a trial Reedbed near to Roznov, in the Czech Republic. The site is in the eastern mountain region, where winter means very low temperatures, and deep snow.
So here we are at -12 degrees centigrade, with 2 metres of snow, and the reduction is still 75%.
The point of the trial was to see how well the Reedbeds cope with winter weather. Clearly, lower temperatures mean reduced bacterial activity, which applies to all biological systems. The outflow remains clean and clear. I don't work well at -12 degrees, and as you can see from Elizabeth's photo, it really is cold.
How to look after your New Reedbed System
* Keep them weeded. Remove any nettles, thistles, docks, chickweed, making sure you do not remove the Reed Plants themselves. This is what you would expect to do when adding any plant to your garden.
* Water them in the first few weeks if they look dry
* Do not put sanitary items or condoms through these systems. They cause so many problems.
* Let us know straight away if you suspect any problems with flow, and we will solve the problems as soon as possible.
YES
Reedbeds are built throughout the Country 
Although we are based in Leeds, we have installed Reedbeds throughout the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland. We have also built a Reedbed in The Czech Republic. It is becoming normal to regularly travel throughout the Country, so it is quite possible to arrange a site visit.
We are based in Leeds, but each black dot shows
where we have built Reedbeds around the Country
Reedbeds use the Same Technology as Standard Sewage Works Systems
1) 
2) 
3) 
1) Waste Water enters the Sewage Works where flow is divided so the velocity decreases, and the grits drop out of suspension. 2) The sludges are removed and 3) are sent to landfill
4) 
5) 
4) Fine filters extract any remaining sludge and 5) the effluent passes through the clinker beds where bacterial activity break down the passing nutrients
In Yes Reedbeds the Septic tank reduces the flow. The emptying of the septic tank is as photo 3.
The soils act as a fine filter where biological breakdown occurs in the aerobic conditions. Half the mass of a handful of soil is made up of bacteria. So in a 100m² Reedbed System there will be amazing amounts of bacteria, ready to breakdown the passing nutrients in the effluent.
The gravels act exactly the same as the clinker beds, with bacteria continuing to break down the nutrients in the thin capillary action film around each 20ml stone. Imagine the massive surface area of a handful of small stones.
One difference between Yes Reedbeds and a normal Sewage Works is that you can stand in a Yes Reedbed and there will be no smell. While you can be quite some distance from a sewage works and still be aware of the smell.
How to do Percolation Tests as written by The Environment Agency
Yes it really is this simple. Just follow sections a. to d. and make the calculations as shown from e. to g.
The
Advantages of Reedbeds, together with the arguments for and against Reedbeds are
listed
An outflow we came across. YES Reedbeds produced clean clear stream water quality from this gunk.
300 m2 for surface water treatment that was polluting a local lake.
During 2005 YES have constructed 30 Reedbed Filtration Systems. They range from 4m2 to 300m2, throughout the UK totaling more than 3000m2, filtering more than 42,000 tons every year. We at YES believe that the arguments about Reedbeds working have been well proven. So lets not ask them again, lets just get on with the job of making the world a better place.
I began looking into Reedbed Filtration when two people in the same week asked me if I knew anything about them. From that point in 1995 to 1996 I went round the UK looking at existing Reedbed Systems. I was able to see for myself what others had been doing. My knowledge of how soils work led me to pursue vertical flow Reedbed systems, because I could not understand why horizontal systems worked.
At that point one of the options was to have two parallel systems, where one system worked while the other rested, and the two