Own sludge dewatering machine pays off. Even for small WWTPs
The issue of sludge disposal is a concern for every wastewater treatment plant owner. Many smaller WWTPs choose the option of sludge disposal to larger treatment plants in its liquid form without dewatering. They do not know that sludge disposal is the cheapest on-site and that it is worth investing in their dewatering machine. Do you still doubt that this is the right option for you? Are you wondering how much you will save by purchasing your dewatering system and how long it will take to recoup your investment? Find out the answers in this article.
Sludge treatment has different solutions
Wastewater treatment plants can deal with sludge treatment in two ways: either they pay extra for sludge disposal in its liquid form, or they can remove the excess water and reduce the sludge volume with their dewatering machine. Most smaller WWTPs choose the first option: they pay for the removal of sludge, most of which is water. The sludge is then sent to larger wastewater treatment plants, which have their dewatering facilities and then handle the dewatered sludge themselves. And yet there is a more economical solution.
Dewatering is no longer just for large WWTPs
It is true that historically, dewatering devices were designed more for use in larger WWTPs, that serve a minimum of 5,000 equivalent numbers of inhabitants. This is in terms of initial investment, technology, and the need for qualified operators. Moreover, whether they were belt presses or centrifuges, they were large equipment, with large build-up requirements that smaller municipal treatment plants were unable to meet. The screw press is compared to the aforementioned machines, a compact device, which can be conveniently placed even in a limited space. This completely changes the situation for smaller WWTPs, where self-dewatering was previously neither conceptually nor cost-wise an option.
Is it worth it? Do the math!
It is worthwhile to consider dewatering with a custom screw press for treatment plants that already serve 500 equivalent inhabitants. Instead of paying for the removal of sludge, which is 98% water, it is therefore already worthwhile for even the smallest municipalities to dewater on site. With your dewatering screw press, you can fundamentally change the water content of the sludge: from the original 2%, you can get as much as 20% dry solids in the final dewatered sludge. Although these figures do not look staggering to the layman, in reality, they are crucial: an 87% reduction in sludge volume. As a result, you only have to pay for the removal of about a tenth of the original amount of sludge. And that's a significant difference. And the return on your investment in a dewatering screw press? It always depends on the specific conditions, but it is usually half a year, at most a year. As a bonus, the pressed sludge can be used in agriculture or composting.
Your screw press is an investment for the future
In the current situation, where we are witnessing a constant increase in fuel prices, the economic importance of dewatering the sludge directly at the water treatment plant where it was produced is even greater. The slogan we have been promoting, that sludge disposal is always cheapest at the point of origin, will undoubtedly continue to apply in the future. Although the option of having your compact dewatering facility is still not so widespread, we can expect that sooner or later smaller municipalities will also switch to this option for sludge treatment. Moreover, this investment can be largely covered by subsidies in many countries around the world. For you, this can mean more spare operating money saved on sludge disposal.
A dewatering screw press can also be an ideal solution for your WWTP.
Contact us and together we will calculate the return on your investment.
