Nash Waste Treatment Works is situated on the south eastern banks of the River Usk, approximately three miles south east of Newport. Originally built in the 1970s, major expansion and updates to the Dwr Cymru Welsh Water treatments works was completed in April 2000. According to a report from the same year: 'on the banks of the River Usk, a tributary of the Severn, Nash will now serve the whole of Newport, courtesy of a new tunnel and pipeline, for the western half of the town. The project is of vital importance to Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, whose aim is to improve the coastline of the Severn Estuary between Chepstow and Newport. It represents a total investment of some £89 million and will eventually take wastewater not only from the population that borders the River Usk but also, via another pipeline, from Chepstow's coastal strip.'
By February 2017, more changes were underway at the Works. A wind turbine, measuring 127m in height from its base to the tip of the blades, was installed at the Nash Waste Treatment Works. 'The turbine was delivered to the River Usk on a barge before being transported the short distance to the site. Using the river saved significant disruption to local traffic had the 50m long blades come in by road. Once completed the turbine will produce five million kWh each year, which is the equivalent to the annual usage of around 1,500 households.' It is therefore expected that the turbine 'will provide over half of the annual energy needed to operate the works.' OS maps also clearly indicate the existence of solar panels at the site.
Sources: 'Improving wastewater treatment processes in the Severn Estuary' in World Pumps, Vol. 2000. Issue 407, August 2000, p. 22-4; 'Welsh Water installs wind turbine at Nash WwTW' in Water and Waste Treatment article published on 7th February 2017.
M. Ryder, WRCMR, 22nd May 2019