Integration of water treatment, environmental and information technologies: Amagasaki project

Abstract

The Hanshin Water Supply Authority (HWSA) supplies drinking water to approximately 2.4 million consumers in the Hanshin area, including the city of Kobe. The HWSA has completed a project integrating two aging plants into a new water treatment plant (Amagasaki WTP) with a capacity of 373,000 m3 per day. The Amagasaki WTP has three significant special merits: water treatment, environmental, and information technology. The water treatment system is based on a multiple-barrier concept that estimates the value of water treatment technology not by individual processes, but by the overall performance of the system. The treatment train consists of coagulation/sedimentation, ozonation/activated carbon fluidized-bed adsorption, and coagulation/high-rate filtration, most of which fully utilize upward-flow. The key environmental technology characteristic of the new WTP is its achievement of zero-emissions. This design reduces CO2 discharge from the plant, as well as making it possible to completely recycle the sludge as an alternate material of agricultural and horticultural soils. Improvement of customer relations is a feature of the information technology. The authority provides information on the safety of the finished drinking water, watershed management, and the maintenance of source water quality. A visitors' area and emergency water supply facility for use in disasters have also been set up at the WTP. The Amagasaki WTP started commercial operation in April 2001. The completion of this renovated plant will significantly raise the quality of service to the customers.