H2O Innovation commissions upgraded water treatment plant in Colorado, US

Canadian membrane filtration specialist H2O Innovation has turned an upgraded ultrafiltration (UF) facility operational for the Clifton Water District in Colorado, US, using its open-platform FiberFlex.

The firm was responsible for designing, manufacturing, and commissioning of eight identical UF units at the plant, which is expected to produce 12MGD (45,400m³/day) of potable water.

The Clifton plant is the H2O Innovation’s largest UF project till date and will be treating settled or feed water from the Colorado River and the Grand Valley Canal.

FiberFlex racks offer advantages of interchangeability and can support several types of UF modules – similar to spiral wound membrane systems.

Changing module suppliers for a facility can be easier with the open-platform since it allows end users to competitively bid for suppliers without having to be bothered about costly infrastructure retrofits required for single-module, proprietary UF designs.

FiberFlex also saves the users from the risks posed by technical obsolescence and offers wider upgrade possibilities and more UF membrane module options, the firm said.

H2O Innovation Projects and Engineering vice president Denis Guibert said: "Through this project, H2O Innovation is proving that the open-platform FiberFlexTM, a customer-oriented flexible concept we started promoting in the market place 24 months ago, is indeed a success from a technical and commercial standpoint."

Designs for the water treatment plant also facilitates constant flow management on the UF system to ensure control of the pre and post treatment units as well as chemical dosing systems.

Since this was an upgrade of the operating treatment facility, there were significant engineering challenges, stated H2O Innovation.

Construction works for the plant was completed by the company in less than a year, most of which had to be carried out during the low flow winter months.

Clifton Water District manager Dale Tooker said: "The FiberFlex technology integrated perfectly into our complex renovation project and it protects our investment in membrane infrastructure which were key requirements for us."

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Image: FiberFlex racks supports multiple UF modules and offers scope for interchangeability. Photo: courtesy of H2O Innovation Inc.