LUCAS®: Compact, high yield & low energy wastewater treatment
High-Capacity Wastewater Treatment with Low Total Cost of Ownership
Municipalities today face the dual challenge of improving wastewater treatment efficiency while reducing environmental impact and total cost of ownership (TCO). The goal: remove more nutrients and pollutants, lower the plant’s carbon footprint, and minimize both capital and operational expenditures.
To reduce CAPEX, many municipalities opt for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to finance infrastructure projects. For OPEX reduction, they turn to advanced technologies capable of treating large volumes of wastewater with minimal energy, chemical, and labor input.
Waterleau’s LUCAS® Cyclic Activated Sludge system meets this need—combining high treatment capacity with proven reductions in TCO.
LUCAS®: Advanced Cyclic Activated Sludge for Cost-Effective Treatment
LUCAS® combines the time-tested principles of activated sludge with the efficiency of a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) in a novel configuration. The system features a modular setup of three hydraulically interconnected reactor tanks with common walls. Each tank operates in a staggered cycle, performing one of three key treatment phases: accumulation, regeneration, and effluent withdrawal, before ceding to the next phase. This cyclic process enables continuous influent flow and treatment – essentially creating an “assembly line” of batch treatment that maximizes throughput and stability.
By optimally alternating the three processes in each tank (controlled by an advanced monitoring system), LUCAS® achieves high removal of organic pollutants and nutrients while minimizing energy use
Advantages LUCAS® Cyclic Activated Sludge wastewater treatment
- High biological efficiency: Requires only 72% of the biological volume compared to conventional systems
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Compact footprint: Occupies just 53% of the land area required by traditional designs
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Reduced CAPEX: Lower civil engineering costs offset higher electromechanical investments
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Lower OPEX: Cuts energy consumption by nearly half—just 53% of conventional requirements
Enhanced Performance with LUCAS® AGS (Aerobic Granular Sludge)
The LUCAS® AGS upgrade takes treatment efficiency a step further by promoting the formation of dense, fast-settling granular sludge. This is achieved through a combination of biological selection and optimized hydraulic retention.
Granule-forming microorganisms are selected by alternating between aerated and unaerated phases, as well as feeding and non-feeding intervals. Granules are retained through selective sludge settling and controlled excess sludge removal.
In addition to the effective absorption and oxidation of organic matter, LUCAS® AGS enables biological phosphorus removal and simultaneous nitrification-denitrification, enhancing treatment performance without additional chemicals or biomass seeding.
Advantages LUCAS® AGS
- High settling velocity and surface loading capacity
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Energy-efficient removal of organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus
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Smaller tank volumes and reduced civil infrastructure costs
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No need for coagulants or granular biomass seeding
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Standard biological start-up time-no special requirements
Proven performance: Taif and beyond.
The Taif Independent Sewage Treatment Plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia showcases the successful implementation of LUCAS® technology. Operational since 2023, the plant treats 100,000 m³ of wastewater daily—transforming it into safe, reusable irrigation water.
LUCAS® technology is also the biological core of ongoing projects in Buraydah, Medina, and Tabuk, scheduled for completion early 2025. Together, these plants will treat a total of 700,000 m³/day, equivalent to replenishing 280 Olympic swimming pools daily for reuse in agriculture and landscaping.
Awarded technology
The Tabuk, Buraydah, and Medina Municipal wastewater treatment plants have been honored with the Global Water Award for Municipal Project of the Year on May 14th, 2025. This prestigious recognition highlights their exceptional contributions to sustainable wastewater management and water reuse. Read the Award Press Release here
More about our LUCAS® Cyclic Activated Sludge aerobic wastewater treatment?
Are you looking for an high yield, compact and reduced cost wastewater treatment solution? Our aerobic LUCAS® Cyclic Activated Sludge solution may be the answer you've been searching for.
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