Algemeen

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The Terwolde water treatment plant, to which the waste water from the Voorst region goes, is outdated.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 total construction are around € 23 million. The water board's own investment amounts to 18 million. The other coverage comes from subsidies.

The European Union gives 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.