For many of us, the approval and roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines will be seen as the light at the end of the tunnel. And while some disused underground tunnels in London are permanently in the dark, some tunnels 33 metres below the ground in Clapham, south west London, are well-lit all the time and providing an unexpected site for sustainable, low-carbon agriculture.
Background
Far below Clapham High Street is a converted disused tube tunnel that was also used as an air raid shelter in WW2. Now home to fresh micro greens and salad leaves sustainably grown year-round in the perfect, pesticide-free environment. Growing is unaffected by the weather and seasonal changes, and due to the prime location, the greatly reduced food miles contribute to a low-carbon footprint.
The water recycling process
One of the major features of the whole system is the water re-cycling process. Waste water passes through a multi-stage sediment filtering system before nutrients are added and then fed back to the plants. It is vitally important to maximise efficiency and the quality of the recycled water is paramount.
A new installation
Working closely with our customers, Managed Water Services installed a nutrient dosing and monitoring system to check the conductivity, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and pH of the recycled water used for feeding the plants.
The installation, over 3 days in December, was carried out by our skilled engineers. Here’s a few images of the completed installation, up and running and improving the efficiency of the whole production process.
Chapters in the varied life of a tunnel
From this (here the tunnel is being used at Christmas during the war):
to this:
to this:
To play an important role in creating this:
How can we help you?
Automated chemical dosing systems are a key element of compliance. They also deliver cost-savings, minimise time spent on maintenance and take away the headache of having to make constant adjustments. The design, supply, installation and servicing of these systems is one of Managed Water Services core capabilities. A member of our team will liaise with you throughout each stage and give you peace of mind that the system will deliver on your requirements. Utilise our experience and knowledge for these important projects to ensure optimum system performance for the future.