The Netherlands - Epe

About Epe Nereda® WWTP – The Netherlands

Epe is a municipality and town in the East of the Netherlands.

The challenge

Epe wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the Netherlands was the first full-scale domestic wastewater treatment plant in the Netherlands to install the innovative Nereda sewage treatment technology. The treatment plant, operated by the water authority Waterschap Vallei en Veluwe, treats wastewater produced by the town of Epe and the surrounding area, including industrial and domestic waste. It needed to meet the clear water requirements of around 54,000 people. Prior to construction, a four-year pilot trial was carried out and the data findings were used to design the full-scale plant.

The solution

The existing Epe plant was replaced with a new treatment system using Nereda technology. The system uses aerobic biological treatment methods that require no or minimal chemicals, compared to conventional technologies. With Nereda, non-conventional bacteria processes wastewater and produces compact granules. The granular biomass produced by these bacteria settles quickly, making separation of the granules from treated water easier. This quick settlement means lower energy consumption and a more sustainable process overall.

The outcome

The plant was opened by the Dutch Crown Prince on 8 May 2012. The new system in Epe takes up 20% less space, 30% less power and smaller quantities of chemical additives, resulting in a reduction of environmental pollution by about 50% in comparison with conventional plants. The final effluent from the plant can be safely discharged or used for agricultural purposes. Since it was commissioned, extensive monitoring of the Epe plant shows that the performance of Nereda has exceeded expectations, with the effluent quality meeting the highest standards in the Netherlands, achieving total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations lower than 5 and 0.3 mg/l. The adoption of Nereda technology has doubled the plant’s treatment capacity. The new system has resulted in the robustness and stability of the treatment process under strong varying influent load conditions and extreme influent pH fluctuations. Another interesting observation is that even at wintry conditions, extensive nitrogen removal could be established at surprising high biological sludge loads.

Nereda in brief

• Fewer power requirements
• Reduced environmental pollution
• Improved efficiency
• Increased capacity
• Adaptability to climate