The challenge
As a prominent quarrying company, Morris & Perry recognised the importance of managing water runoff to minimise environmental impact.
To achieve this, Morris & Perry appointed Wheelwash as their partner due to our expertise in designing and building bespoke wheel wash systems.
The project aimed to design and install wheel wash units capable of handling a high volume of vehicles while effectively containing and managing water runoff within the quarry site.
The solution
Morris & Perry, understanding their requirements and tailoring the wheel wash systems accordingly.
After thorough site consultations to understand Morris & Perry’s requirements, Wheelwash’s Senior Design Engineer, Jack Cunnington, designed two expert solutions that would ensure their run-off water was contained and all vehicle wheels were cleaned:
- Unit 1 – 6m Base for Cement Mixers: The first bespoke unit was designed to accommodate cement mixers. Featuring a 6m base, this unit effectively cleaned the vehicles, preventing runoff and containing any potentially harmful substances. It was designed to cope with a daily capacity of 80 vehicles, ensuring efficient cleaning processes within the quarry.
- Unit 2 – 8m wash base and Concrete Wedge Pit: The second unit comprised an 8m wash base that led into a concrete wedge pit. This bespoke unit had a significantly higher capacity, capable of handling up to 250 vehicles per day. To enhance water recovery, a dedicated pump system was installed. The pump efficiently transferred water from the wedge pit to a central pumphouse. From there, the water was returned to the wheel wash units for reuse, optimising water consumption and promoting responsible water management practices.
Each unit ran from its own dedicated pumphouse with wash pumps fed from a single 5.3m header tank. Both wash bases discharged the waste water and silt into a large site wedge pit via channels.
To execute the project successfully, an engineer was recruited to handle the groundworks and planning necessary for the site, ensuring seamless integration of the wheel wash systems into the quarry’s infrastructure.
Results and benefits:
The implementation of the bespoke permanent wheel wash systems provided numerous benefits for Morris & Perry:
- Enhanced environmental compliance: The wheel wash systems effectively contained water runoff, preventing pollution and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.
- Improved operational efficiency: The bespoke units catered to the specific needs of Morris & Perry’s quarry, accommodating high volumes of vehicles while facilitating efficient cleaning processes.
- Responsible water management: The water recovery and pump system significantly increased water recovery rates, reducing consumption and promoting sustainable water usage within the quarry.
- Expert collaboration: The collaboration between Morris & Perry and Wheelwash, from on-site consultations to the recruitment of an engineer, ensured a seamless and tailored solution for the wheel wash systems.
What to do now:
The bespoke permanent wheel wash systems provided by Wheelwash played a vital role in preventing water runoff challenges faced by Morris & Perry’s quarry.
Through collaboration, customisation, and responsible water management practices, Morris & Perry achieved enhanced environmental compliance and ensured ongoing wheel cleaning. The successful implementation of the project highlighted Morris & Perry’s commitment to sustainable practices and their proactive approach to mitigating environmental impact within the quarrying and construction industry.
