Treatment of European Drinking Water Reservoir

A large-scale potable water supply reservoir in Western Europe was treated with Phoslock during March. The treatment was the first stage in a two stage project, with a second application planned for June 2019. The total value of the project is more than A$400,000.

The project is a milestone project for Phoslock Environmental Technologies (PET) as the reservoir is located in one of Europe’s most densely populated countries and it was not possible to take the reservoir offline during the treatment. Consequently, water continued to be abstracted for the duration of the treatment.

The reservoir is located in an area of intensive agriculture, with the result that phosphorus levels in the water feeding the reservoir and the plant are very high. In recent years, this has triggered algal blooms and caused operational issues for the plant. The aim of the application is to reduce phosphorus and algal concentrations in the water abstracted from the reservoir into the treatment plant, so that treatment costs can be lowered.

The use of Phoslock in potable water supply reservoirs in other countries such as Brazil have resulted in significant reductions in blue green algal concentrations and led to reduced operational costs in the treatment plants.

The results of the application will be monitored closely by PET and the water company which operates the plant/reservoir. Further applications are likely in other locations over the next 12 months.