Foz signs Brazil wastewater treatment technology agreement with Royal HaskoningDHV

Foz has signed a cooperation agreement with Royal HaskoningDHV for the implementation of its Nereda advanced wastewater technology in Brazil.

Under the agreement, Foz and the Brazilian water company of Odebrecht Ambiental will use Royal’s advanced technology to treat wastewater in the country.

The agreement is expected to be over €11.5m in value.

Nereda technology was developed by Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands as part of a public-private partnership with the Dutch Foundation for Applied Water Research, Dutch water boards and Royal HaskoningDHV.

The technology treats wastewater with less energy and chemicals than conventional water treatment systems. It also has a smaller carbon footprint.

Nereda uses aerobic granular biomass to treat wastewater. Purifying bacteria create compact granules that settle easily for filtering.

Foz engineering director Emyr Diniz Costa Junior said that the technology treats wastewater in a more sustainable manner.

"We believe Nereda can help us to contribute to better public health by providing people with access to sanitation," he added.

Foz has plans to build at least 10 Nereda installations in Brazil over the next few years.

The company will begin designing three Nereda plants later this year. Two of these plants will be located in São Paulo to treat wastewater for 140,000 people and one will be in Rio de Janeiro for 550,000 people.

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Image: Royal HaskoningDHV’s Patents & Licensing director Ronald Niermans and Foz-Odebrecht Ambiental Engineering and Technology manager Giancarlo Ronconi (on the right) at a Nereda wastewater treatment plant in Epe, the Netherlands. Photo: courtesy of Royal HaskoningDHV.