- Following the Euro165 million upgrade, the plant will be able to treat 210,000 m 3 /day, gradually increasing from 470,000 to 695,000 population equivalent.
- The project supports orientations of ‘Territorial Climate-Air-Energy Plan’ of Montpellier Metropolis by reducing the carbon footprint of Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), producing renewable energy and preserving water resources.
- The excess energy produced will be used, among other things, to supply gas to 9,000 homes and heat to more than 7,500 households.
WD News: The Metropolis of Montpellier has given Veolia, through its subsidiaries OTV and Veolia Eau France, the extension and upgrade works as well as the operation of the Maera Wastewater Treatment Plant, located in the town of Lattes.
OTV will lead a consortium made up of Veolia Eau, Razel Bec, GTM TP GC SO, Egis Eau, Cabinet Merlin, Bouygues Energies and Services, Tourre Sanchis Architectes, AI Project, as well as many local players. Worth Euro 165 million, this nine-year contract will enable the Maera Wastewater Treatment Plant, through a sustainable development approach, to produce twice as much energy as it needs and to reuse wastewater following treatment.
The extension work will gradually increase the plant’s treatment capacity from 470,000 to 695,000 Population Equivalent (PE), covering the needs of 19 municipalities. An initial capacity increase of 50,000 PE will be reached by the end of 2023 to meet the immediate urban development challenges of the Metropolis. The new technologies to be used in the projects are expected to improve the quality of treatment at the current plant, and also enable
the production of energy and the reuse of treated wastewater. Veolia will continue to operate the site throughout the duration of the works and for following four years – that is nine years in total, guaranteeing permanent continuity of service and close management of water and carbon footprint.
Environmental Performance
Once the work is completed, the plant will be a sober unit, geared towards production of renewable energies (biomethane, heat and electricity), which will make it possible to cover 205% of its energy consumption by 2031. The plant will also reduce its net CO 2 emissions by more than half with the optimisation of its energy consumption and the maximisation of by-product energy recovery.
The excess energy produced will be used, among other things, to supply gas to 9,000 homes and heat to more than 7,500 households.
The plant’s compact design also frees up 2,500 m2 of space to implement large-scale wastewater reuse systems, rendering possible a recovery of 70,000 m 3/d. This water will cover the station’s internal industrial uses and will also be reused, among other things, for agricultural needs.
The Maera project is part of an agroecological approach to initiate the use of treated wastewater in agriculture. A rooftop vegetable garden and greenhouses on the ground will be created and watered by treated water from the station, in addition to testing other types of uses such as fire control, cleaning of streets, public spaces and networks, and watering green spaces, vines or any other crops close to the site.
A Resilient Facility in the Face of Climate Change
From 2025, Maera WWTP will have a control centre organised around an information system that will make it possible to manage the plant’s systems in real time on a daily basis, to monitor the plant’s performance, and to anticipate heavy rainfall in order to minimise
A Social and Societal Project
René Revol, president of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole Water Authority and vice president in charge of water and sanitation said, “The extension of treatment capacity combined with proposed improvements will offer a structure that is better integrated with an overall strategy for limiting noise (reinforcement of acoustic devices) and odours (coverage of all structures, enhanced deodorisation).”
Source & Image Courtesy: Veolia
