343:. Its remit was to promote, assist and support research into domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural use of water obtained from all sources. Furthermore, it was to promote research into the water works trade and other industries by establishing laboratories and workshops and conduct experiments and to fund such work to improve the education of persons engaged in the industry. Its research station, opened in 1961, was by the River Thames at Medmenham, Marlow, Buckinghamshire. It became part of the Water Research Centre in 1974. The WRA's Director (1955-1974) was Dr R. G. Allen.
669:
359:. Its duty was to advise river authorities and central government on the development of water resources in England and Wales. The WRB had a staff of 160, principally engineers. A supervisory board met monthly. The WRB devised schemes such as one for a water grid in north east England which might also supply Sheffield and Chesterfield 200 miles to the south. The WRB did not have a remit on water quality and this was a fatal handicap. The Board was disbanded under the terms of the
55:
The management board comprised up to eight members drawn from industry, commerce, academia and learned societies. In addition there were up to 12 ‘assessors’ from government departments such as: the
Ministry of Agriculture, fisheries and food; the Development Commission; Ministry of Housing and Local
78:
An example of the WPRB's work was a major study of the tidal Thames. In 1948 the WPRB appointed the Thames Survey
Committee to study the condition of the Thames Estuary. Of particular interest was the capacity of the river to purify the sewage and industrial effluents discharged into it. The
27:
is a company providing research and consultancy in water, waste and the environment in the United
Kingdom. A government body, the Water Pollution Research Board, was set up in 1927 and was merged in 1974 with the Water Research Association and the Water Resources Board to form the
191:
of the Urban
Pollution Management procedure, the first formal procedure for analysing water pollution at the catchment level, and which was one of the drivers for the subsequent EU legislation behind the
49:
106:. The WRA had been founded in 1953 and provided research and advice on drinking water treatment to the municipal bodies responsible for drinking water supply; it was based at
339:
was established in 1953. It was the central research organisation for the
British water supply industry, and one of the official Research Associations administered by the
278:
90:, and here it is associated with the first systematic analyses of sewage treatment. Following the 1974 reorganisation of the UK water supply industry both WPRL and the
125:
as WRc's main site. The WRc Group employs around 150 staff. Until 2020, its shares were mainly owned by its staff and UK water companies; it was then acquired by the
689:
684:
181:
Water-industry standard techniques for assessing sludge rheology, and a general correlation for rheological properties used in the absence of experimental data
32:, which was controlled by, and undertook research for, the regional water authorities; the organisation was privatised in 1989 as WRc plc, then acquired by
171:
Development of two standard assessment techniques for sludge thickening and dewatering, the CST (capillary suction time) and PFT (pressure filtration test)
220:
699:
287:
Blue chip companies involved in agriculture, retail and manufacturing (especially in the food and drink, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors).
638:
McCulloch, Christine S. (2009). "The Water
Resources Board: England and Wales' venture into National Water Resources planning, 1964-1973".
694:
704:
242:
All of the UK water utilities, many international utilities and companies throughout the water and environmental supply chains.
557:
184:
Development of techniques for water mains and sewer rehabilitation, without requiring extensive digging and replacing of pipes
75:
WPRL also worked in other areas, notably the creation of a device for airmen to make sea water acceptable as drinking water.
266:
274:
224:
211:
Today WRc works with a range of customers in the public and private sectors around the world. Its clients include:
63:
by outsourcing and conducting surveys. Laboratory facilities finally became available in 1940 when DSIR set up the
363:. This dissolved the 29 River Authorities and created ten Water Authorities with much broader terms of reference.
121:(FWR), was created and the Stevenage site was shut down. In 2004 the Medmenham site was also closed, leaving
118:
113:
In 1989 the Water
Research Centre was privatised and renamed WRc plc, as part of the privatisation of the UK
251:
Directorates
General including: Environment, Research, Competition, Agriculture and Regional Policies.
193:
159:
Development of the standard approach to minimising the effects of bulking sludge on activated sludge
356:
228:
103:
56:
Government; Ministry of Public
Building and Works; the Board of Trade; the Ministry of Transport.
421:"Department of Scientific and Industrial Research: Water Pollution Research Board and Laboratory"
198:
Comprehensive capital cost models (TR 61) used widely by the water companies, and recognised by
340:
380:
420:
521:
483:
446:
17:
59:
The Board had no laboratories and fulfilled its remit of providing research and advice on
8:
248:
668:
525:
487:
450:
216:
539:
110:, Buckinghamshire. The new organisation was renamed the Water Research Centre (WRC).
168:
Development of the first mass-flux based analysis of activated sludge settler design
595:
529:
491:
454:
146:
First analysis that activated sludge nitrification could be mathematically modelled
72:
60:
245:
Waste management and recycling companies and organisations in their supply chains.
381:"Water Research Centre (formerly Water Pollution Research Laboratory), Stevenage"
232:
404:
360:
188:
114:
599:
165:
Development of the SSVI technique for analysing activated sludge settleability
678:
79:
committee first met in
January 1949 and finally reported in a 607 page paper
543:
255:
534:
509:
495:
459:
434:
126:
107:
87:
33:
270:
86:
In 1955 the WPRL moved to a purpose-built laboratory in Elder Way,
94:(WRB) were transferred from the Civil Service and merged with the
122:
68:
99:
16:
This article is about the British company. For other uses, see
236:
199:
662:
474:
Parker, A. (February 1942). "Potable Water from Sea-Water".
156:
Development of first accurate general activated sludge model
355:
was established on 1 July 1964 under the provisions of the
259:
162:
Only public body of extensive research of trickling filters
405:
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (1964).
265:
Trade associations and not-for-profit organisations e.g.
219:, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (
300:
Jan Laurens van der Post (Chief Executive WRC 1978-84)
407:
Effects of Polluting Discharges on the Thames Estuary
81:
Effects of Polluting Discharges on the Thames Estuary
510:"The Water Pollution Research Laboratory, Stevenage"
558:"RSK scoops up WRc in ongoing acquisition campaign"
325:
616:"Public Notices, The Water Research Association".
258:and the Department for International Development (
588:The Water Research Association PANS Pest Articles
676:
117:. As part of the process a small offshoot, the
50:Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
690:Privately held companies of the United Kingdom
685:Employee-owned companies of the United Kingdom
330:
303:Michael J. Rouse (Chief Executive WRC 1984-)
550:
667:
215:UK government and regulators such as: the
202:as a comparator for company-specific costs
637:
533:
458:
346:
297:Dr R. G, Allen (Director WRC 1974-1978)
677:
473:
48:(WPRB) was established in 1927 by the
700:Water companies of the United Kingdom
633:
631:
629:
627:
309:John Moss (Chief Executive 1993-2005)
611:
609:
581:
579:
400:
398:
267:Waste and Resources Action Programme
315:Ron Chapman (Chief Executive 2005-)
102:, controlled by the publicly-owned
65:Water Pollution Research Laboratory
13:
624:
586:"The Water Research Association".
284:Local governments and authorities.
275:Environmental Services Association
254:International funders such as the
235:and the Office of Water Services (
137:Notable WRc achievements include:
14:
716:
654:
606:
576:
395:
695:Research institutes in Wiltshire
520:(4469): 1105–1107. 1 June 1955.
326:Former constituent organisations
306:Ralph Hodge (Chairman 1995-2005)
225:Communities and Local Government
409:. London: HMSO. pp. v, xv.
132:
705:Organisations based in Swindon
502:
467:
427:
413:
373:
46:Water Pollution Research Board
1:
366:
312:John Merrill (Chairman 2005-)
291:
119:Foundation for Water Research
7:
445:(3673): 456. 1 March 1940.
187:Co-development with the UK
10:
721:
435:"Water Pollution Research"
337:Water Research Association
331:Water Research Association
279:UK Water Industry Research
104:regional water authorities
96:Water Research Association
39:
15:
600:10.1080/09670877009413446
594:(4): 731. December 1970.
321:Andy Blackhall (MD 2021-)
194:Water Framework Directive
646:(3): 461, 465, 466, 469.
357:Water Resources Act 1963
229:Department for Transport
206:
383:. The National Archives
341:Ministry of Technology
318:Mark Smith (CEO -2021)
353:Water Resources Board
347:Water Resources Board
92:Water Resources Board
30:Water Research Centre
18:WRC (disambiguation)
562:Environment Analyst
526:1955Natur.175.1105.
488:1942Natur.149..184P
451:1940Natur.145R.456.
249:European Commission
640:Water Alternatives
564:. 4 September 2020
217:Environment Agency
620:. 22 August 1953.
535:10.1038/1751105a0
482:(3772): 184–186.
712:
671:
666:
665:
663:Official website
648:
647:
635:
622:
621:
613:
604:
603:
583:
574:
573:
571:
569:
554:
548:
547:
537:
506:
500:
499:
496:10.1038/149184a0
471:
465:
464:
462:
460:10.1038/145456b0
431:
425:
424:
417:
411:
410:
402:
393:
392:
390:
388:
377:
98:(WRA) to form a
73:Second World War
61:sewage treatment
720:
719:
715:
714:
713:
711:
710:
709:
675:
674:
661:
660:
657:
652:
651:
636:
625:
615:
614:
607:
585:
584:
577:
567:
565:
556:
555:
551:
508:
507:
503:
472:
468:
433:
432:
428:
419:
418:
414:
403:
396:
386:
384:
379:
378:
374:
369:
349:
333:
328:
294:
233:Highways Agency
209:
135:
42:
21:
12:
11:
5:
718:
708:
707:
702:
697:
692:
687:
673:
672:
656:
655:External links
653:
650:
649:
623:
605:
575:
549:
501:
466:
426:
412:
394:
371:
370:
368:
365:
361:Water Act 1973
348:
345:
332:
329:
327:
324:
323:
322:
319:
316:
313:
310:
307:
304:
301:
298:
293:
290:
289:
288:
285:
282:
263:
252:
246:
243:
240:
208:
205:
204:
203:
196:
189:water industry
185:
182:
173:
172:
169:
166:
163:
160:
157:
148:
147:
134:
131:
115:water industry
41:
38:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
717:
706:
703:
701:
698:
696:
693:
691:
688:
686:
683:
682:
680:
670:
664:
659:
658:
645:
641:
634:
632:
630:
628:
619:
612:
610:
601:
597:
593:
589:
582:
580:
563:
559:
553:
545:
541:
536:
531:
527:
523:
519:
515:
511:
505:
497:
493:
489:
485:
481:
477:
470:
461:
456:
452:
448:
444:
440:
436:
430:
422:
416:
408:
401:
399:
382:
376:
372:
364:
362:
358:
354:
344:
342:
338:
320:
317:
314:
311:
308:
305:
302:
299:
296:
295:
286:
283:
280:
276:
272:
268:
264:
261:
257:
253:
250:
247:
244:
241:
238:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
213:
212:
201:
197:
195:
190:
186:
183:
180:
179:
178:
177:
170:
167:
164:
161:
158:
155:
154:
153:
152:
145:
144:
143:
142:
138:
130:
128:
124:
120:
116:
111:
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
84:
82:
76:
74:
71:. During the
70:
66:
62:
57:
53:
51:
47:
37:
35:
31:
26:
19:
643:
639:
617:
591:
587:
566:. Retrieved
561:
552:
517:
513:
504:
479:
475:
469:
442:
438:
429:
415:
406:
385:. Retrieved
375:
352:
350:
336:
334:
210:
175:
174:
150:
149:
140:
139:
136:
133:Achievements
112:
95:
91:
85:
80:
77:
64:
58:
54:
45:
43:
29:
24:
22:
568:3 September
679:Categories
367:References
292:Key people
277:(ESA) and
256:World Bank
67:(WPRL) in
618:The Times
127:RSK Group
108:Medmenham
88:Stevenage
83:in 1964.
52:(DSIR).
36:in 2020.
34:RSK Group
25:WRc Group
544:14394119
281:(UKWIR).
271:Water UK
269:(WRAP),
522:Bibcode
484:Bibcode
447:Bibcode
387:30 July
231:(DfT),
123:Swindon
69:Watford
40:History
542:
514:Nature
476:Nature
439:Nature
176:1980s
100:quango
237:Ofwat
221:Defra
207:Today
200:Ofwat
151:1970s
141:1960s
570:2021
540:PMID
389:2016
351:The
335:The
260:DfID
44:The
23:The
596:doi
530:doi
518:175
492:doi
480:149
455:doi
443:145
223:),
681::
642:.
626:^
608:^
592:16
590:.
578:^
560:.
538:.
528:.
516:.
512:.
490:.
478:.
453:.
441:.
437:.
397:^
273:,
262:).
239:).
227:,
129:.
644:2
602:.
598::
572:.
546:.
532::
524::
498:.
494::
486::
463:.
457::
449::
423:.
391:.
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.