in Bloom - Redditch Borough Council

Conservation & Biodiversity
Wet System at Arrow Valley
Swan Rescue
Arrow Valley Countryside Centre uses a wetland
system to treat all waste water emitted from the
building; toilets, showers and rain water from the
roof collect in storage tanks around the building.
The water is transferred 350 metres away to a
series of four pools located in the Millennium Wood
area. The water filters into the first pond which is full
of reeds, the solid waste settles out in the pool and
the bacteria living on the roots of the reeds alters
the chemical compounds in the water allowing
them to be taken up by the plants. The reeds and
Willows planted around the margins of the pools
filter out most of the nitrates and other chemicals
in the water. As the water transfers through soil
banks between each pool it is cleaned further and
by the fourth pool the water is of a quality which is
drinkable.
Each year on average 25 – 30 water fowl are
injured on lakes and ponds in Redditch. The work
of rescuing the injured birds is carried out by the
charity Swan Rescue. Redditch Borough Council
formally support this local charity group which
carried out this time consuming but important
work. All healthy birds are returned to the water
once recovered.
Wetland ecological treatment (WET) systems such
as the one at Arrow Valley are classified as low
entropy systems, meaning that the carbon
footprint for constructing and maintaining the
wetland is minimal. Water companies often treat
waste water through reed beds but, use vast
amounts of concrete and gravel which is imported
onto the site from elsewhere. The series of pools
constructed at Arrow Valley were dug out from the
existing field and the mounds constructed around
their perimeter were mostly made up from the
spoil left over. A small amount was imported from
local construction sites to make up the remainder.
The WET system supports a large variety of flora
and fauna and is a vital habitat for many species
of Dragonflies. All of the plants in and around the
pools are native to Britain. Purple Loosestrife, Water
Forget-me-not, Water Plantain, Typher to name but
a few. The fourth pool is also used by local school
groups for pond dipping activities, making it an
important educational facility. The educational
value is also recognised by university groups and
an example of best practice by the Worcestershire
County Councils Planning Department.
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Redditch in Bloom 2O1O