Purifying used water
We all use water. Around 400,000 residents and businesses in our area consume an additional 45,000 people's worth of water. The water board cleans that water again. This amounts to 55 million m3 of water per year. That is 55 billion liters.
How do we clean used water?
The Noorderzijlvest Water Authority has thirteen treatment plants. We have 401 kilometers of pipes and 110 pumps to transport water from homes and businesses to the treatment plants. We purify that water in a natural way at the treatment plants. Once the water is clean, we discharge it back into surface water, for example into the Eemskanaal or the Van Starkenborghkanaal.
The purification process
We transport used water via sewage pumping stations and transport pipes to one of the thirteen sewage treatment plants. More information about the steps in the treatment process:
Individual Wastewater Treatment (IBA)
Households without a sewer connection must have their own treatment facility. Before they can discharge used water into surface water, they must report this to the water board. For more information and to report a malfunction:
What do we do with the waste?
Part of the waste consists of sewage sludge. This sludge is fermented in the sludge fermentation plants at our treatment facilities. During fermentation, part of the sludge is biologically broken down and converted into biogas. We use this biogas to produce electricity and heat. The sludge that remains after fermentation is dried by another company. The dried sludge is used as fuel for power stations and cement kilns.