Water & Wastewater Treatment

18 | DECEMBER 2015 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk Project focus: wastewater treatment production, chemical consumption and improved environmental compliance and robustness compared with established wastewater treatment technologies. Initially developed in the Netherlands by the Del University of Technology, Royal Haskoning DHV, the Dutch Water Boards, and STOWA (R&D foundation of the Dutch Water Boards), the Nereda Process was proposed by EPS for the Clonakilty WWTP Upgrade Contract. Located on Ireland's southern seaboard, Clonakilty presented a new and challenging environment for the use of the recently established technology. Particular challenges included high industrial loads from local dairy and poultry processing industries, the saline environment and environmental designation of Clonakilty Bay, the strategic importance of tourism and water quality for the local economy, Nereda aerobic granules (le ) compared to traditional activated sludge (right). ● WWTPs are facing reduced space constraints, stricter environmental regulation and discharge limits ● The Nereda treatment process can allow a reduced footprint as well as reduced carbon and whole lifecycle (Totex) costs ● It also requires less energy and has a lower requirement for chemical dosing • Drivers new and emerging technologies we identified Nereda as the technology of choice for treatment of municipal wastewater. Our discussions and due diligence with Royal Haskoning DHV proceeded very well and within a relatively short period we became delivery partners for Ireland working on a common platform to deploy Nereda within the Irish water sector. Introducing the technology to Ireland was easy as Irish Water were receptive to the introduction of the technology, and immediately recognised the benefits that it would bring to their investment programme and associated targets. EPS introduced the technology on a value engineering proposal for the upgrade to Clonakilty WWTP DBO project. This plant at Clonakilty represents the first Nereda plant in the UK or Ireland and the first globally to be built underground. The introduction of the Nereda process represents a significant and evolutionary step in wastewater treatment technology. Nereda combines the treatment characteristics of granular biomass in highly automated Sequencing Batch Reactors, resulting in reductions in footprint, costs, electricity, sludge

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