New study shows innovative reed bed system is working at TCR Hub

REED beds at a community hub in Barnard Castle are helping improve the quality of water flowing into a dale beck, a recent report has revealed.
The water quality of two wetland ponds at the TCR Hub, on Shaw Bank, is better than the stream they flow into thanks to the reed bed system put in place when the facility was built 11 years ago.
Waste and rain water from The Hub building feeds into the ponds rather than to land drains.
The reed beds work by allowing bacteria, fungi and micro-organisms to break down, digest and clean the waste water.
Water from both the top and bottom ponds at The Hub was analysed along with that of Black Beck, which they flow into, earlier this month as part of a project to create an organic heritage orchard.
Suzanne Thomas, who is leading the heritage garden project, said: “The heritage garden is going to be completely organic and we’re going to be irrigating it using water from the ponds, so I was very keen to get it tested.
“One of the concerns was because we are surrounded by agricultural fields and there has been so much building work going on up on Shaw Bank, things could be washed down into the ponds. Water flows downhill and we’re at the bottom.”
Water from both of the ponds flows into Black Beck, which then flows into Percy Beck and finally the Tees.
Analysis of the water was carried out by environmental scientist Mervyn Rutter, a reed bed consultant from Barnard Castle, who also volunteers at The Hub.
The test checked the ph level of the water along with amount of ammonia, nitrates and suspended solids present.
The results showed nitrate levels of 0.5mg per litre in comparison to the stream which had 1mg/litre.
Ammonia levels were also lower at 1mg/litre compared to 1.5mg/litre for the stream. The ph level was .05 lower than the stream water and the amount of suspended solids was also 0.3mg/litre less.
In his report Mr Rutter said: “Outflows from the TCR Hub site is an improvement on water quality in the stream. Since the package treatment system discharges into the bottom pond, the ecology of the bottom pond is clearly working. Generally, these results are very good.
“It is satisfying that water qualities from the site are good and are better than the stream into which they flow.”
Mrs Thomas added: “it shows that our reed beds are working and the plants are doing their job. We don’t need to change anything but we need to maintain this.
“It just goes to show the TCR Hub is playing its part at looking after flood defences and the environment.”