Municipal wastewater treatment
From design and construction to full operations of sewage treatment plants.
Thorough sewage treatment expertise
Cities and water agencies across the world rely on our expertise for treating their municipal wastewater. We design the most appropriate biological wastewater treatment systems producing clean water for safe discharge or reuse as irrigation after a tertiary treatment step.
Our biological municipal wastewater treatment facilities in Morocco are amongst the largest and most sustainable in the African continent: In Marrakech and Fez, treated wastewater is reused as irrigation water, biogas is recovered from sludge digestion, sludge is dried by solar heat and reused in road construction. With a very limited water, energy, carbon and waste footprint, the Fez and Marrakech sewage treatment plant are showcases of sustainable sewage treatment.
Our proprietary compact LUCAS TS® cyclic activated sludge solution is the technical heart of the sewage treatment solution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2030 water strategy.
Municipal wastewater treatment?
What is municipal wastewater treatment?
Municipal wastewater, essentially used water, undergoes a crucial process in wastewater treatment plants. Here, the focus is on diligently treating the municipal effluent by removing both dissolved and suspended contaminants. This process is vital to ensure that the water, whether it's being reintroduced back into the environment or repurposed for other uses, adheres to the necessary quality standards. This treatment plays a key role in environmental conservation, emphasizing the importance of every treated drop in maintaining the balance between our needs and nature's wellbeing.
Who needs municipal wastewater treatment?
Municipal wastewater treatment is a vital aspect of urban sanitation management. This service, primarily undertaken by local municipalities, becomes increasingly significant as a tool for sustainable development, particularly in the face of growing water scarcity. By optimizing the municipal water cycle, wastewater treatment not only addresses the immediate needs of sanitation but also contributes to the responsible management and conservation of this increasingly precious resource.
What are the benefits of Municipal wastewater treatment?
- It significantly lowers the volume of waste discharged into the environment, thereby reducing ecological impact.
- The treatment process helps in eliminating water loss attributed to pollution, thereby conserving water resources.
- By treating wastewater, it prevents the release of potentially harmful contaminants into the environment, safeguarding ecosystems and public health.
- Simplified waste disposal methods resulting from effective wastewater treatment can lead to reduced costs.
- It ensures that wastewater treatment and effluent standards are consistently met and continuously monitored, maintaining a high level of environmental compliance.
Water treatment sustainability
Our municipal wastewater treatment solutions are designed to limit the Eco-footprint and limit the cost of treatment operations:
- Biological wastewater treatment
- Nutrient removal
- Biogas production
- Water reclamation
- Sludge treatment
- Odour treatment
- Limited cost of ownership
- Outsourced operations and maintenance
Biological wastewater treatment
We are helping small communities as well as +million population agglomerations to treat wastewater. The LUCAS® and LUCAS® TS aerobic wastewater treatment technology are our proprietary activated sludge-based technology and have been implemented in the majority of our sewage treatment plants. Depending on plot size, flow and wastewater characteristics, the most appropriate LUCAS® or LUCAS® TS wastewater treatment technology will be implemented.
Nutrient removal from wastewater
Our LUCAS® aerobic plants are designed to eliminate not only organic pollution (or BOD), but also nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus resulting in a high-quality effluent.
Biogas production
Biogas can be recovered from primary and secondary settled sludge. The biogas can be used to power cogeneration units, providing heat for the digesters as well as electric power to operate the plant. The energy recovery from sludge reduces both the facility's carbon and energy footprint
Water reuse system
An adapted post-treatment may be needed to complying to discharge regulation or for water reuse purposes. Preparing treated wastewater for irrigation will help improving sanitary conditions for the community and reduce water stress in water-deprived communities.
Activated sludge wastewater treatment
After biogas is recovered from sludge, the digested sludge is dewatered, sanitized and dried before being discharged. In dry countries, sludge can be dried using solar heat and our HYDROGONE® Greenhouse Drying technology. Volume reduction will limit transportation costs, contributing to the treatment facility's eco-footprint.
Air treatment
To limit the odor nuisance of primary sewage treatment, polluted air containing nitrogen or Sulphur-based compounds is treated using biofilter technology. Purification of the polluted air improves the comfort of the plant operators as well as the adjacent population.
Limited cost of ownership
Our LUCAS® municipal wastewater treatment plants are designed for maximum removal efficiency as well as minimal energy and chemical consumption. We provide full operations and maintenance services in the majority of our plants, offering peace of mind to local water agencies.
Operations and maintenance
In Morocco as well as in Macao, we continue to be awarded the operations & maintenance in dozens of municipal wastewater treatment plants. In some sewage plants, contracts have been lasting for more than 20 years.
We are highly valued for our thorough knowledge of the biological processes and for our expertise in managing treatment plants with very different wastewater characteristics or flows. In Morocco, we count more than 250 O&M specialists, making Waterleau Maroc our competence center for municipal wastewater treatment.
Assisting municipalities globally in the treatment of municipal wastewater
Marrakech municipal wastewater treatment
The first treatment facility in the region integrating biogas production, water reuse and solar sludge drying.
Protecting the environment in Fez
The Fez municipal wastewater treatment plant returns safe discharge water into the river bed.
Advanced LUCAS® TS for treating Taif ISTP wastewater
The Waterleau proprietary LUCAS® TS aerobic is being implemented into the Taif Independent Sewage Treatment Plant.
The cycle of municipal wastewater treatment
Primary treatment
The initial phase of the water treatment process is dedicated to the extraction of suspended solids (SS) from the wastewater. By employing methods such as flocculation, coagulation, settling, and flotation, we successfully eliminate between 70% to 90% of these substances. The use of chemical reagents is tailored according to the level of purification needed, ensuring an efficient and effective reduction of suspended solids in the treatment process.
Secondary treatment
In the secondary stage of treatment, sophisticated biological methods are employed, utilizing specific bacteria's capability to remove dissolved pollutants from wastewater. These include contaminants like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Often, when the treatment objectives are particularly stringent, these biological processes are complemented with the application of chemical reagents to achieve the desired level of purification.
Tertiary treatment and reuse
The final step in the process is focused on eliminating any residual dissolved solids from the purified and disinfected wastewater. This ensures that the treated water reaches a quality suitable for reuse in various other applications.
Sludge treatment
The contaminants removed in the treatment process are transformed into sludge. Our expertise lies in recycling, recovering, or converting this sludge into energy, which is one of our specialized areas.
Find your local contact
Our expertise is always within reach. Digital communication has cut long distances short, but we advocate the traditional way of sharing insights.
Contact us today. We are looking forward to help you reach your sustainable development goals.
