Sustainable wastewater treatment plant planned in Netherlands

Water Board Veluwe and engineering consultancyDHV have signed a Design & Build contract with a value of approximately 15 million euro for the replacement of the existing wastewater treatment plant at Epe with a new plant utilizing DHV's Nereda® technology.

Water Board Veluwe is the first water management authority to make full use of the highly innovative and sustainable Nereda® technology.

The new treatment plant will be exceptionally sustainable and cost-effective. DHV intends to replace theexisting system with a Nereda® plant, which will treat all wastewater produced in and around the town of Epe (in the east of the Netherlands).This will result in a doubling of the plant's treatment capacity without increasing its footprint. The new plant will be taken into operation in mid-2011.

Producing water of the highest quality utilizing less energy and chemicals
The added value of the Nereda® technology lies in special microorganisms which do not grow in 'floc structures' (as they usually do), but in concentrated, compact granules. "This allows for more effective and efficient wastewater treatment, significantly reducing the consumption of energy and chemicals as well as the plant's footprint," says Douwe-Jan Tilkema.Tilkema is head of the water treatment department at Water Board Veluwe, and was one of the initiators of the technology's practical implementation. "The excellent quality of the treated wastewater was another reason for us to choose this new treatment technology."

Nationalresearch program
The basic concepts underlying the Nereda® technology were first developed in the 1990s by researchers working at Delft University of Technology. Their work was continued under the auspices of the National Nereda® Research Program, a joint venture of the Dutch Foundation for Applied Water Research (STOWA), Delft University of Technology, DHV, and six water control boards. The programensured that the technology was quickly developed over the past few years, with experience gained through pilot projects and demonstration plants in the Netherlands, South Africa and Portugal. Financial support was provided by several Dutch and European subsidy programs.

Milestonein wastewater treatment
The planned construction of the Nereda® plant in Epe is considered being a milestone in wastewater treatment. International interest in the technology is on the rise, withmany experts viewing Nereda® as a major breakthrough in wastewater treatment. The technology is suitable for newly build as well as retrofit projects and for both domestic and industrial wastewater treatment systems; it achieved several national and international awards.

DHV is a leading international consultancy and engineeringfirm, providing services and innovative solutions in Transportation, Water, Building & Industry, Urban and Regional Development, and Environment & Sustainability. Our range of services covers the entire project cycle, including management consultancy, advice, design and engineering, project management, contract management and asset management.

DHV, headquartered in the Netherlands, is part of the DHV Group which maintains a network of 75 offices worldwide. Our projects are able to call upon the extensive expertise network of the entire DHV Group, benefiting from an integrated approach and a shared commitment to the sustainable development of our living environment. TheDHV Group has a staff of 5,500 and its net turnover in 2009 was € 481 million. For further information please visit www.dhv.com .