In 2018, Waterboard Rivierenland opened a Best Value tender for the extension of the WWTP Dodewaard to increase the existing capacity of the plant, built in the 1980’s, and to consolidate the operations of four smaller treatment plants in the service area. An important tender requirement was the energy autonomous operation of the new plant with solar panels. Therefore, ELIQUO compared various available technologies and selected Nereda® as the most effective solution. In close cooperation with the project partners Van Hattum and Blankevoort and Royal HaskoningDHV, ELIQUO submitted the winning tender design to the Waterboard.

ELIQUO started the construction work on the Dodewaard WWTP in December 2019. The new plant will treat the sewage from 70.000 inhabitants in the surrounding area and will generate 1,100,000 kWh of electricity per year. A solar park next to the new plant will provide all of the required electricity to power the new treatment processes. The construction and assembly of the solar park will commence in May of this year making the treatment process 100% self-sufficient and preventing 660 tons of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere annually.

Nereda® is a sustainable and cost-effective technology for sewage treatment delivering high quality effluent and requiring only roughly a quarter of the area needed by conventional activated sludge installations. Furthermore, the process can reduce energy-costs by up to 50%. The award-winning technology, invented by the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, has developed into a unique public-private partnership between the University, the Dutch Foundation for Applied Water Research (STOWA), the Dutch Water Authorities and Royal HaskoningDHV.

This project is also leveraging the capabilities and expertise from other ELIQUO companies in the Water Group. ELIQUO WATER & ENERGY is working with its sister company ELIQUO HYDROK in the U.K. to source the Nereda® internals for this project. HYDROK has significant experience with the Nereda® system, including the installation of the internal pipework for South West Water at the Newham plant in Truro, Cornwall.

Following the start-up and commissioning of the new plant in autumn 2020, the next step will be to renovate some of the existing treatment infrastructure to upgrade the treatment process. Rick Langereis, director of ELIQUO WATER & ENERGY, adds - “by applying circular design principles existing structures could be re-used for the new plant configuration”. ELIQUO will be the responsible main contractor and provide all mechanical and electrical works. Partner Van Hattum en Blankevoort will take care of all civil works, as where Royal HaskoningDHV will be responsible to deliver the Nereda® technology and critical support for start-up and commissioning of the new plant”.