AN innovative Worcester water reuse company has installed new water treatment technology at one of Scotland's most luxurious whisky brands.

Aquabio Ltd, based in Worcester, has designed and built the whisky industry’s first ever anaerobic membrane bioreactor system to treat wastewater at the Glenmorangie distillery in Scotland’s Northern Highlands.

The anaerobic digestion plant at the Ross-shire distillery was officially opened earlier this summer.

The Aquabio technology has ultra-filtration tubular membranes, and has has helped Glenmorangie achieve its objectives of protecting the environment in which it operates.

The plant now largely operates automatically and can be remotely monitored online - this ensures optimum efficiency in both wastewater treatment and power generation.

The biogas replaces some of the fossil fuels used at the distillery to heat the stills in which the spirit is made. A knock on effect is that the standard of the wastewater is improved.

Steve Goodwin, managing director of Aquabio - which is based at Ball Mill Top Business Park in Hallow - said: "The low energy Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor Plant – or AnMBR LE – is designed to improve the quality of the effluent being discharged into the Dornoch Firth and the resulting biogas is reused as fuel in the site boiler system.”

“We are immensely proud of the successful completion of this prestigious contract.

"Our experience and track record in delivering wastewater process projects was a key factor in Glenmorangie’s decision to award us the contract.

"We – along with our group company Freudenberg – are both excited and proud to have been involved with such a premium brand.”