Opening of the Renovated Gaarkeuken Wastewater Treatment Plant
With the symbolic handover of the keys from the contractors to council and water authority , the renovated wastewater treatment plant in Gaarkeuken was officially put into operation on Thursday, October 1. The new treatment plant, with a larger processing capacity, replaces the old facilities in Marum, Gaarkeuken, and Zuidhorn. A new wastewater treatment plant was necessary because the old facilities were severely outdated and no longer met the requirements for “ treated ” water. The new facility ensures cleaner water and reduces odour , and noise in the surrounding area.
Cleaner water and fewer nuisances
The renovation and expansion of the new wastewater treatment plant in Gaarkeuken were necessary to meet the requirements for water quality and the protection of local flora and fauna. In addition, discharging treated water into the vulnerable Dwarsdiep will no longer be permitted starting in 2027. A new central wastewater treatment plant in Gaarkeuken, with discharge of treated water into the Van Starkenborgh Canal, is therefore of great importance for improving water quality and the natural environment.
Landscape Integration
To modernize and expand the treatment plant, a new aeration tank and a second secondary settling tank were installed, among other improvements. In addition, the existing secondary settling tank was renovated. With these upgrades, the new treatment plant is now capable of processing 45,000 pollution units per day. This represents a two-and-a-half-fold increase in processing capacity.
Furthermore, integration into the landscape was a key consideration. To ensure that nearby residents cannot see, hear, or smell the facility, trees, shrubs, and herb-rich grass that occur naturally in the area have been planted. This conceals the treatment plant from view. The treatment plant itself produces less noise because components that generate noise have been placed inside a building or shielded. Odor nuisance is minimized by covering the basins and components that could em odour s.
Installation of pressurized pipelines
With the construction of the renovated wastewater treatment plant in Gaarkeuken, the old wastewater treatment plants in Marum and Zuidhorn were decommissioned. To replace these old facilities, new (sewer)pumping stations were built. To transport the wastewater from Marum and Zuidhorn to the new treatment plant in Gaarkeuken, the Water Board of West-Noord-Friesland ( water authority ) installed 20 km of underground pressure pipes. These pipes connect the region to the new treatment plant. At the same time, a parallel pipeline was installed along the route from Marum to Gaarkeuken to transport treated residual water from FrieslandCampina’s cheese production facility in Marum to the Van Starkenborgh Canal.
Financing
The total investment for both the installation of the pressure pipes and the construction of the upgraded treatment plant amounts to 64 million euros.