Process & contact
Bluewater Bio
Website: FilterClear | Bluewater Bio
Contact(s):
Updated 09/2026
Types of wastewater treated - Input flows – Implementation in sewage works
The process uses multimedia filtration to remove suspended particles from effluents, including phosphate carrying particles. Iron or aluminium dosing enables removal of phosphorus down to <0.1ppm levels.
Throughput ranges from 5 m³/hr up to 5000 m³/hr, at 25-35 m³/m²/h. This is indicated to be several times higher than comparable technologies. Commercial applications are mainly in the municipal wastewater treatment sector as a tertiary treatment stage for reuse or compliance purposes. The technology is also used for pre-treatment of seawater for desalination, potable water filtration and in the food and beverage, agriculture and manufacturing industries for cooling water, water reuse, rainwater harvesting and other applications. Typical total P concentrations after treatment are <0.5 mg/l or even <0.1 mg/l when necessary.
Reagents – Energy - Output materials
Without reagents, the process can typically reach 0.3-0.5 mg/l total P. Metal dosing (commonly iron or aluminium, chloride or sulphate) into a static mixer is used to reach lower concentrations.
The typical energy consumption, including feed pumps and backwashing, is 0.04 kWh/m3 treated.
The phosphate removed is discharged as a concentrated backwash, normally into the first stage of a wastewater treatment plant where it joins other solids in a phosphate-rich sludge.
Process description – Phosphorus removal
The process uses four filtration media (anthracite, sand, alumina and magnetite), arranged in layers to create progressively finer filtration as the water passes through. The four materials separate naturally according to their density at the end of each backwash. The concept is very similar to a conventional sand filter but the multimedia layers enhance filtration performance by enabling the use of coarser and finer grades to remove particles down to <1 micron without excessive blinding.
Phosphorus already present in particulate form is removed at high efficiency without the need for chemical dosing, whilst removal of soluble phosphate requires dosing with ferric or aluminium salts. The resulting effluent is largely free of phosphate.
Operating status
FilterClear plants are currently installed at over 200 sites, treating waters such as secondary effluent at wastewater treatment plants, cooling waters at industrial sites and seawater at desalination plants. The process was applied successfully at Whaley Bridge (UK) municipal sewage treatment plant as an add-on tertiary treatment stage to meet a permit of 0.24 mg/l total P, Newthorpe (UK) (add-on, 0.2 mg/l TP) and Felbridge (UK) (add-on, 0.25 mg/l P).