Frequently Asked Questions Life Water Factory Wilp
General
By converting our sewage treatment plants into energy and raw material factories, we reclaim raw materials in various ways. This is also the case with the LIFE Water Factory. An all-in-one treatment, where we extract raw materials from sewage water and use clean water to feed the Twellos stream.
The Terwolde water treatment plant, to which the waste water from the Voorst region goes, is outdated. New construction is necessary. We looked at opportunities and improvements. We opt for the construction of two treatment plants. By splitting the capacity into two treatment plants, the sewage water does not have to travel great distances through sewer pipes and pressure pipes. We can also feed the Twellos stream with clean water. There will be a new treatment plant to the north of the A1 and a water plant to the south of the A1.
The development of this plant is a breakthrough in the current method of purification:
- we purify the sewage water with minimal use of chemicals;
- we extract all possible raw materials from sewage water such as cellulose, ammonium and phosphate and use them in a circular fashion with partners;
- we do not build extra capacity for the collection of "clean" rainwater. At the LIFE Water Factory we are installing a natural helophyte filter in which the rainwater is collected and filtered naturally;
- with the collected water we feed a stream that usually has no flow. An important development in view of the climate changes with longer periods of drought.
We use 2020 to realize the preliminary design and work out the design, after which we will start construction in 2021. If all goes well, we can start using the water plant at the end of 2022.
The helophyte filter is a natural filtration with a natural appearance, consisting of a number of purification steps. With the help of oxygen plants, the so-called helophytes, the rainwater is purified and the purified sewage water made ecologically suitable. With the clean and ecologically suitable water, we feed the Twellos stream.
The costs for the test phase of the project are € 7,365,711. The European Union attaches great importance to innovative projects. That is why, as part of LIFE Water Factory, the water factory receives financial support from the LIFE Program of the European Union. The subsidy amounts to € 2,498,901.
The costs for the total construction are around € 23 million. The water board's own investment amounts to 18 million. The other cover comes from subsidies.
Location of the water factory
We are looking for a place south of the A1 near Schoneveld Breeding and Attero. It is important that the water plant comes as close as possible to the start of the Twellos stream to feed the stream with clean water. In addition, traffic access must take place on the Sluinerweg. This is not to cause a nuisance for the environment.
We want to use water locally as much as possible and not to transport it over long distances. The renovation of the Terwolde water treatment plant and the waste water transport system in the municipality of Voorst is an opportunity to do this better. The waste water south of the A1 will be treated locally in Wilp in the future. With the clean, purified water we feed the Twellos stream that can use this water and thus get a better quality.
We do not yet know that exactly. The building plans have not yet been made and depend on the space required for the technical installation. In addition, we are installing a so-called helophyte filter of approximately 2.5 to 4 hectares. We started a pilot project at the Terwolde sewage treatment plant in 2019. We test the required technology in this. Only when we know the results of the pilot can we make building plans. The results will be known at the end of 2019.
Local residents and environment
There are different times when local residents have a say. When we know where we want and can put the factory, we will inform the local residents about the public participation procedures such as the permit and zoning plan procedure at the municipality.
Residents can join in the work session to discuss the appearance of the building and the layout of the helophyte filter.
We will do everything we can to minimize this. The requirements for smell and noise are becoming stricter. Moreover, 70% of the technology that we are going to use must be placed in a covered area. That already ensures a significant reduction in noise. We isolate other sound sources or put a "cupboard" around them. By using extraction and treatment in a filter, we reduce the odor to 90-95%.
We regularly publish a video journal for LIFE Water Factory. In addition, we use the website, information meetings, articles in, for example, the free local papers and social media. Via the website you can register for the newsletter and there you will find the most recent news items.