NieuWater B.V. was founded in 2004. The company is the outcome of the desire on the part of WMD and the Velt & Vecht Water Board to engage in innovative collaboration in the water chain. This is also the purpose of NieuWater. Collaboration facilitates innovative thinking. This often leads to innovative solutions that add value for all parties. Broader collaboration within the water chain is good for the environment and also for those living in areas where water is supplied by WMD and the Velt & Vecht Water Board. The plant will have just the one large customer: the energy company Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij B.V.  (NAM). Expectations are that the collaboration between WMD and the Velt & Vecht Water Board in NieuWater B.V. will not be confined to the NAM project.

The figures
NieuWater developed an innovative design for a water treatment system that uses the sewage effluent produced by the sewage treatment plant in Emmen as influent for the large-scale production of ultrapure water. To meet the requirements the ultramodern ultrapure water plant produces up to 8,200 m3 of ultrapure (boiler feed quality) water per day. And production can be increased to 10,000 m3 per day if necessary. The contract with NAM has a term of 25 years.

Unique features of the project:

• Combination of new and existing water treatment technologies with minimal use of chemicals.
• The scale on which the ultrapure water is produced.
• Upgrading of treated sewage (used as influent) to such an extent that only ultrapure water remains.
• Innovative form of collaboration in the water chain has resulted in a specific project involving a considerable investment.
• A waste product is upgraded to a resource.

Partners
Water Supply Company Drenthe (WMD)
Velt and Vecht Water Board