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Torreele

Torreele

Innovative technologies for the management of concentrates from membrane processes

Torreele

Torreele

Innovative technologies for the management of concentrates from membrane processes

Torreele

Torreele

Innovative technologies for the management of concentrates from membrane processes

Torreele

he Torreele water plant is located in Koksijde on the Belgian North Sea coast. It is owned and operated by the Intercommunale Waterleidingsmaatschappij van Veurne-Ambacht (IWVA). Since 2002 the effluent of the municipal wastewater treatment plant Wulpen is reclaimed for indirect potable reuse after artificial recharge of the dune aquifer of St-André.

This aquifer is used for groundwater extraction to produce potable water for nearby communities. Throughout the years, groundwater level lowered and as the location is close to the Flemish coast, salt water intrusion could present a threat on the long term. The artificial recharge, reusing treated wastewater effluent, was implemented to prevent saline intrusion, increase the groundwater table and in this way enhance natural values and obtain sustainable groundwater management in the dunes.

The plant has a treatment capacity of 6850 m3/d (2.5 hm3/yr) and applies a double membrane process: ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO). The reclaimed water is high quality.

Yet concentrate handling is associated with considerable additional costs as IWVA has to pay for the nutrient load discharged into the aquatic environment.

Within DEMOWARE Torreele will be used to test two technologies to reduce the nutrient content; demonstrate the long-term performance of a subsurface flow constructed wetlands with willows to reduce nutrients from the concentrate and at the same time produce biomass by short rotation coppice (SRC) for energy production; fixed-bed post-denitrification.