On 23 January Bluewater Bio International, the water and wastewater treatment technologies, hosted a site visit to Tubli Water Pollution Control Centre (WPCC) in Bahrain, to celebrate recently-completed performance testing of its Hybrid Activated Sludge (HYBACS) wastewater treatment upgrade.
In recognition of Bluewater Bio’s UK origins and its export success, the site visit was included by the UK Embassy in their programme for Great British Week, during which the company also exhibited at the Advanced Engineering & Innovation Expo on Saturday 18 January.
Welcoming 35 guests from as far afield as Australia, Canada, China and South Africa, Daniel Ishag, founder and CEO of Bluewater Bio, said: “Bluewater Bio is immensely proud to have been selected by the Bahraini Ministry of Works for their 8 million Dinar wastewater upgrade at Tubli. Thank you to our Ministry clients here today, and also to our champions within the UK Government who helped us build the necessary relationships across the Bahraini government.''
During the visit Bluewater Bio’s project manager, Bashar Muhtadi, presented the challenges that dictated the upgrade in sewage treatment capacity, while technical director, Dr Jeremy Biddle, outlined the HYBACS plant’s performance.
The visit also included a timed demonstration to illustrate the vastly improved sludge settling of effluent from the two HYBACS lanes, compared with effluent from the eight lanes not yet upgraded.
Dr Biddle added: “During commissioning in September and October, the HYBACS plant at Tubli treated 20% more flow than its design average and nitrified fully, whilst demonstrating substantial power savings of up to 40%. Our upgrade has subsequently passed performance testing with no failures, despite very high influent COD loads. But don’t just take my word for it; I couldn’t put it better than the ministry themselves,” who said: 'The HYBACS upgrade at Tubli alleviates the current overloading problem without the requirement for green-field construction, thereby utilising the existing secondary treatment assets whilst avoiding additional land take. Early results demonstrate that the plant is operating exceptionally well and meeting the highest standards, with an overall improvement in nitrogen removal of 80%'.''
With performance testing concluded on 6 January 2014, Bluewater Bio has entered a one-year operation and maintenance contract at Tubli WPCC.
Mr Ishag commented: “Now fully commissioned, the HYBACS upgrade at Tubli is, as you have witnessed today, consistently outperforming all the Ministry’s specifications and expectations. As such it provides a compelling reference site for Bluewater Bio to showcase with current and future partners across the globe.”
