
Decentralised wastewater treatment in new government offices
One of the most advanced decentralised wastewater treatment plants in the Netherlands has been implemented at the Government Offices at Rijnstraat 8 in The Hague. More and more organisations no longer regard wastewater as a residual product, but as a valuable source of energy and nutrients. This project is a leading example of how circular sanitation can be applied in large office buildings.
The new office complex for approximately 6,000 civil servants is equipped with an innovative plant that processes wastewater locally and recovers valuable raw materials. In doing so, the government office is taking an important step towards sustainable operations and reducing its ecological footprint.
Circular sanitation concept for 6,000 employees
Location:
Rijnstraat The Hague
Client:
Ministry
Market:
Decentralised wastewater treatment
Year of completion:
2016
What we delivered
Within the building, different wastewater streams are collected separately and processed efficiently. Desah supplied the system for treating the blackwater and greywater.
The blackwater from the vacuum toilets, together with organic waste, is collected as a concentrated stream and treated in an anaerobic digester. This digestion process produces biogas, which is used to heat the building. This significantly reduces dependence on fossil energy sources.
The water from the urinals is separated from the black water and processed in a struvite reactor.
Here, phosphate is recovered in the form of struvite, a high-quality fertiliser that can be used directly in agriculture. In doing so, the concept contributes to the circular nutrient chain.
The use of waterless urinals and vacuum toilets saves a significant amount of drinking water. This leads to reduced load on the wastewater infrastructure and reduces operating costs.
Why this solution?
- Lower drinking water costs
- Less treatment levy
- Resource recovery
- Lower operating costs
Technical details
Type
source-separated
Capacity
6,000 PE
Scope
design, assembly and commissioning
“It was a challenge to get the huge tank on site in the middle of The Hague and implement it in the building.”
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