Bonnycraig Water Treatment Works (Scottish Water) - Reference

Project’s context & challenges

Scottish Water commissioned the development of a new modular water treatment facility at Bonnycraig (Peebles) to provide high-quality drinking water for the local area. The project marked Scotland’s first ceramic membrane modular plant, designed and delivered in partnership with RSE and incorporating PWNT technology. It was commissioned in 2022, with the official opening held in 2023.

Key challenges included:

Delivering a high-performance treatment solution within a limited footprint and an environmentally sensitive landscape.
Minimizing on-site disruption and emissions by employing an off-site modular construction approach.
Integrating ceramic membrane filtration technology with essential treatment processes while maintaining long-term sustainability and resilience.

Key figures

CeraMac® C19

187.5

m³/hour

4.5

MLD

1.2

MGD

Customer benefits

High-quality Drinking Water

The combination of ILCA and CeraMac® ceramic membrane filtration ensures consistent removal of turbidity, pathogens ike Cryptosporidium and Giardia, and natural organic matter, providing safe, clear, and great-tasting drinking water to the community.

Sustainability & Efficiency

The off-site modular construction minimized on-site works, reducing emissions, waste, and disruption to the local community. Energy-efficient systems and sustainable site features support Scottish Water’s carbon neutrality goals.

Lower Operational Costs

Ceramic membranes offer durability with a lifespan exceeding 20 years and minimal maintenance needs, contributing to reduced life-cycle costs and fewer staff requirements for daily operation.

Robust, Future-proof Design

The modular TTU approach, combined with resilient PWNT technologies such as ILCA® and CeraMac®, ensures long-term performance, operational flexibility, and the ability to scale or adapt as future demand evolves.

Solution

PWNT’s advanced technologies were integrated into RSE’s modular Transportable Treatment Units (TTUs), delivering a compact, high-performance solution tailored to the needs of Scottish Water. Key components included:

Inline Coagulation and Adsorption (ILCA): A pre-treatment process that enhances the removal of natural organic matter (NOM), micro-pollutants, and turbidity, improving membrane performance and minimizing fouling and chemical use.
CeraMac® ceramic membrane filtration: Four CeraMac® units using durable ceramic membranes provide a robust physical barrier for the removal of fine particulates and pathogens, ensuring consistent, high-quality drinking water and long operational life.
Modular off-site construction: All PWNT treatment units were prefabricated and factory-tested before being transported to the site, significantly reducing construction time, emissions, and disruption to the local environment and community.

The PWNT solution was seamlessly integrated with full MEICA delivery—including coagulation dosing, membrane operation and cleaning, disinfection, pH adjustment, and SCADA—alongside sustainability features such as rooftop solar panels, EV charging infrastructure, and recycled site materials, contributing to Scottish Water’s net-zero targets.

This modular facility, Scotland’s first ceramic membrane modular WTW, has reliably delivered 4.5 MLD of high-quality drinking water to the Peebles region since commissioning in 2022 and its official opening in 2023.

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