PRESTO
project aims at decreasing excess load of nutrients to the water bodies by
carrying out investments in enhanced nutrient removal at four wastewater
treatment plants in Belarus: Baranovichi, Grodno, Molodechno and Vitebsk.
Preparation
of investments started in 2012 with the technical audits at each of the
wastewater treatment plant. The technical audits were carried out by Pöyry
Finland Oy, hired by John Nurminen Foundation which is in charge of investment
part in PRESTO.
The
work included gathering of needed baseline data on the current technical
processes, planning of the most cost effective and feasible solutions for
improved nutrient removal as well as preparing tender documentation for the
investments that are going to be realized. The necessary technology to decrease
the concentration of phosphorus in purified wastewater in order to achieve
HELCOM recommendation was selected.
Technical
reports became the solid basis for further work and showcase the diverse challenges
to be addressed in each of the four waste water treatment plants. The four
wastewater treatment plants are now about to complete their first tender
procedure in PRESTO for the local design to adjust the technical designs into
Belarusian local context.
As a next step, tenders for construction
works, equipment supply and installation will be launched.
All four
PRESTO investing partners are discharging their waters to Neman and Daugava
rivers which belong to Baltic
Sea catchment area. As a consequence, reducing trans boundary nutrient load from
Belarus will improve not only water quality of European rivers but also the
state of the Baltic Sea. More information on PRESTO project at: www.prestobalticsea.eu
Text by: Agnieszka Ilola, UBC Environmental Commission, Project Officer, PRESTO Project
 |
| Investing partner Baranovichi WWTP |
