Thames Water — Digester Cleaning and Lining

Introduction

At a major Thames Water facility in Reading, a full internal clean and protective lining was required for a large digester tank, forming part of ongoing infrastructure upgrades across the site. The project aimed to restore internal cleanliness, improve access and apply a chemical-resistant lining within both the gas space and tank base.

Our Solution

The project began with extraction of all internal waste using a vacuum suction system. Given restricted access and low roof height, traditional jet washing was deemed unsafe, so UCL Ltd deployed a robotic jet washing unit to clean the interior without exposing personnel to confined space risks. Waste was screened to remove rag, grit and hair, with filtered water returned to the site's processing system to minimise environmental disruption. Following cleaning, the tank was internally scaffolded to allow access to the gas space and base, where a specialist lining system using Raven 405 and Raven 506 was applied, selected for their chemical and biogas resistance.

Key Benefits

• Robotic jet washing ensured safety in confined space conditions
• Waste screened and water reused to reduce environmental impact
• Internal scaffolding enabled full access to critical lining zones
• Dual-layer protective coatings delivered high resistance to chemical and gas exposure
• Ongoing programme continuity across multiple digesters on-site

Conclusion

This digester refurbishment demonstrates UCL Ltd's technical expertise in delivering safe, efficient and durable upgrades for complex water sector infrastructure, providing long-term asset protection tailored to operational needs.