Sludge dewatering? Investment returned to Přerov nad Labem in 1 year

In the Central Bohemian Region lies Přerov nad Labem, a village of about 1,200 inhabitants in approximately 450 households. The entire continuously built-up area of the municipality is covered by a sub-pressure sewage system, which was completed in 1997. There is also a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Přerov nad Labem.

A problem called sludge

The municipality of Přerov nad Labem was facing a sludge management crisis on the threshold of 2020. When the Covid-19 pandemic entered the scene, the problems related to the transport and disposal of liquid sludge from the WWTP became even more acute. The company VaK Nymburk, which was transporting unthickened sludge or dewatering sludge with mobile equipment, faced frequent staff shortages.

"There was a very real threat that one morning we would not have a way to transport, thicken and dispose of the sludge. In a pandemic situation and under our inadequate conditions, it could have happened overnight."

JIŘÍ BENEŠ, The Mayor of Přerov nad Labem

At the same time, the municipality was troubled by the very high costs of transporting a large volume of unthickened sludge for final thickening in the sludge terminal of VaK Nymburk, which supplied this service to Přerov.

Breaking point: the need for its sludge dewatering system

This daily uncertainty, the increasing volume of sludge produced during the pandemic, and the rising costs of transporting and disposing of the waste forced the municipality to consider whether it was worth purchasing its powerful dewatering equipment.

Positive references in the first place

The municipality's management expected reliable and continuous operation of sludge thickening from the new facility, i.e. they were looking for a dewatering machine with adequate capacity for the population, including a reasonable reserve in case of further urban growth of the municipality. The availability of spare parts and prompt service were also important.

Representatives of the municipality put mainly on references and personal inspections of similarly large municipalities, for which the investment in their own dewatering equipment paid off.

The winner takes it all

The decision could not have been made from hour to hour. There are several dewatering technologies on the market, all with pros and cons. The municipality representatives visited six smaller plants and two large plants.

"We considered drum filters, a centrifuge and a screw press. With regard to operating experience, capacity and performance, we found screw presses to be the most suitable."

JIŘÍ BENEŠ, The Mayor of Přerov nad Labem

The MIVALT screw press was one of the possible solutions. A local supplier had undeniable advantages for Přerov nad Labem, especially with regard to service and technical support.

Quick put into practice

The advantage of having a local supplier soon became apparent in practice. Not many weeks passed since the decision itself, which was accelerated by the stalemate over Covid. The Brno-based company MIVALT was able to rent and deliver dewatering equipment suitable for the size of the municipal WWTP almost overnight.

"Petr Mívalt went through with us the solution of the entire end cap, the placement of the machine in the container, and the fact that we could prepare the container ourselves according to the documentation sent to us, which greatly accelerated the whole process."

 JIŘÍ BENEŠ, The Mayor of Přerov nad Labem

The results speak for themselves

The dewatering screw press has reduced the municipality's sludge disposal costs significantly and thus improved the overall balance of the WWTP operation. The delivered technology met all expectations, which led to the municipality buying the borrowed and rented equipment very soon. The investment in the screw press paid for itself in just 1 year and has since brought huge savings to the municipal budget.

Interesting figures:

• In 2019, almost 1,300 m³ of sludge was to be disposed of, whereas after the installation of the dewatering equipment in 2020, only 460 m³ will be disposed of, demonstrating the efficiency of the dewatering.

• As a result of the above, the cost of sludge disposal has fallen by almost a third.

The new machine has affected the performance of the local WWTP, ensuring continuous operation without the stress factor of possible human-induced outages. It has enabled the municipality to become independent of wastewater service providers.

Dewatering facilities will ensure future generations

The municipality assumes that the installation of a screw press is already the final solution for sludge dewatering. In addition to its low failure rate and long service life, the technology also offers a sufficient reserve for further development in the municipality.

"MIVALT and its technology has solved the urgent problem of dewatering and sludge transport, thus reducing the overall cost of waste management."

JIŘÍ BENEŠ, The Mayor of Přerov nad Labem

If you're dealing with similar problems at the municipal or industrial wastewater treatment plant level, a screw press is the right way to cut costs and solve sludge thickening. You can contact us for a consultation.