Aarhus ReWater: a new generation of wastewater treatment and resource recovery
Meeting the needs of a growing city
Aarhus ReWater will be designed to meet future requirements for wastewater treatment and deliver treated water of a very high quality. By reducing the discharge of nutrients and environmentally harmful substances, the plant will contribute to protecting Aarhus Bay and supporting a healthy aquatic environment for generations to come.
The existing wastewater treatment plants at Marselisborg, Åby and Viby do not have sufficient capacity to meet the future needs of Aarhus, and their current locations leave limited possibilities for the necessary expansion. Aarhus ReWater will bring this treatment capacity together in a modern facility built for the future.
Making room for urban development
Building a new plant will make it possible to phase out the existing wastewater treatment plants at Marselisborg, Åby and Viby, freeing up centrally located areas for future urban development.
At the same time, Aarhus ReWater itself will become part of the development of the waterfront. Our ambition is to make the most of the site and ensure that the plant fits naturally into its surroundings. Through thoughtful architecture, multifunctional use of the area, walking routes and vantage points, the project can create new connections between the city and the waterfront.
In this way, Aarhus ReWater is intended to be more than infrastructure. It should contribute positively to the future development of Tangkrogen and to the overall liveability of Aarhus.
Protecting the aquatic environment
The plant will provide enhanced removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. It will also include a fourth treatment stage designed to remove pharmaceutical residues and other environmentally harmful micropollutants in accordance with future EU requirements.
Together, these measures will significantly improve the quality of the treated water discharged into Aarhus Bay and contribute to a healthier and more resilient aquatic environment.
More than wastewater treatment
Our ambition is not simply to build a wastewater treatment plant. Aarhus ReWater will be a resource recovery plant where wastewater is viewed as a valuable source of energy, nutrients and materials.
Wastewater already contains resources that can be recovered and put to new use. Aarhus ReWater will produce energy from wastewater, contributing to renewable energy and heat. We also aim to recover nutrients and explore opportunities to produce new bio-based materials.
This broader approach is reflected in the name ReWater. The “Re” represents resources, recovery, recycling, reuse and rethinking – a different way of looking at wastewater and the resources it contains.
A living lab for future solutions
Our ambition is to create a plant where new knowledge, technologies and solutions can be developed, tested and demonstrated in real operating conditions. A dedicated living lab will provide a platform for developing and testing new and optimised treatment and resource recovery processes.
Rather than seeing Aarhus ReWater as a finished facility from day one, we see it as a plant that can learn and evolve. By combining day-to-day wastewater treatment with innovation and development, Aarhus ReWater can continuously adapt, improve and help develop the solutions needed for the water sector of the future.
In connection with the realisation of Aarhus ReWater, Aarhus Vand will join forces with a large number of collaboration partners.
The turnkey contractor team for the wastewater resource recovery facility (WRRF)
- Turnkey contractor: Per Aarsleff A/S.
Subconsultants: KWR Water Research Institute and HaskoningDHV Nederland B.V - Process consortium: EnviDan A/S.
- Architectural consultant: Henning Larsen Architects A/S
Subconsultants: Klinges Tegnestue, Topotek 1 GmbH and Eva Koch
EIA consultant: Niras A/S
Legal advisor: Bech-Bruun Advokatpartnerselskab P/S
Client consultant: COWI A/S