The plant is owned and operated by Drainage Services Department (DSD) in Hong Kong and is one of DSD’s iconic projects that will adopt advanced wastewater treatment technologies, feature renewable energy, incorporate extensive greening features and provides public co-use facilities for the benefit of the local community.
The availability of land is at a huge premium on Hong Kong. A small site footprint and high-efficiency are essential components of any wastewater project on the densely-populated 1,104 square kilometre island. Nereda technology was identified and assessed by DSD and its consultant AECOM in 2014 as one of the most promising technologies to deploy for the future relocation of Shatin Sewage Treatment Works (SSTW) into artificial caverns in a nearby mountain and free up premium land for redevelopment. Subsequently, the Nereda technology and two other compact technologies (SANI and MBBR) were included in a multiyear side-by-side pilot trial at SSTW.
The pilot results validated that the Nereda technology could efficiently treat the particular Hong Kong wastewater characteristics, which originate from its unique seawater toilet flushing. It also validated that Nereda technology was suitable to meet the more advanced treatment requirements that are applicable for effluent polishing plants.
The public procurement of the iconic YLEPP project, which was open to other compact wastewater treatment technology, showed that the Nereda technology was the clear technology of choice for DSD, not just for the favourable construction costs, but also with regards to its significantly lower life cycle costs and higher sustainability level.
The project at Yuen Long Effluent Polishing Plant is a good example of how forward-thinking utility governors and their consultants are recognising technologies that contribute to a more cost-effective and sustainable wastewater treatment for smart megacities. The selection of Nereda technology, over comparative wastewater technologies, under vigorous evaluation criteria, demonstrates once again how effective, cost efficient and sustainable the Nereda treatment process is, in comparison with conventional systems. Our Nereda technology plant in Hong Kong will contribute to more affordable and more sustainable treatment for urban societies, which is good news for the region too.”
