Optimising wastewater operations: strategic pump upgrades in Alexandria

Alexandria, often referred to as the "Bride of the Mediterranean," is Egypt's second-largest city after Cairo – and its most important seaport. Spanning approximately 2,700 km², the metropolitan area is home to over 5 million residents with increased numbers during summer. 

Since 2004 sewerage and wastewater treatment of the city are managed by the Alexandria Sanitary Drainage Company (ASDC). Now, the Alexandria West Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) was renovated to enable the plant to handle an increased volume of wastewater. This was an essential upgrade to meet the demands of growing populations and infrastructure projects in the area thus ensuring a sufficient wastewater disposal.

Alexandria Sanitary Drainage Company, a part of Alexandria Water General Authority, is responsible for sewerage and wastewater treatment of the Egyptian metropolis Alexandria. Sewage processing and purification are carried out in the Alexandria West Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), which handles 340,000–410,000 m³/day with a design capacity of 462,000 m³/day. Moreover, the plant receives untreated sludge from the East Wastewater Treatment Plant, discharging effluent into Lake Maryut. WWTP rehabilitation was necessary to enhance the plant's treatment capacity and meet the demands of a growing population while addressing increasingly stringent environmental requirements.

Upgrading the pumping station with single components presented a unique challenge. The new pumps had to be integrated into the existing plant infrastructure with predetermined parameters and therefore required a highly customised solution. Moreover, the substantial weight of the bare shaft pumps called for a sophisticated approach. With a weight of approximately 10 tons per Sewatec SPN pump, the installation could only be executed by on-site dismantling of the pump into separate components. The volute casing and back pull unit had to be separated, followed by sequential installation with the casing installed first before reassembly with the pumps´ back pull unit.

 

Overall, the plant rehabilitation was a real joint effort. Delivery time for the two Sewatec SPN pumps from Halle works in Germany took about 9 months. Due to the challenges in the old pumping station and necessary electromechanical and civil works, the implementation took additional 6 months for installation, start-up and commissioning of the new intake pumps.

Upgrading the Alexandria West Wastewater Treatment Plant was a complete success. The two new KSB high efficient Sewatec SPN pumps work with a special electric motor combined with a resistor bank and can be run at two modes of speed rotation, at 483 and 595 rpm. This allows the pumps to be optimally adapted to the respective pumping conditions at all times. Installation of the new Sewatec SPN pumps significantly increased the plant's inlet capacity and efficiency. Moreover, the Sewatec SPN pumps provide high operational reliability thanks to large free passages. The Alexandria Sanitary Drainage Company (ASDC) was very satisfied, especially with the KSB technical support on-site and the customer-centred approach to meet the specifications and requirements on site perfectly. Currently, the customer is planning to upgrade the remaining four pumps in the pumping station, as well.

Place: Alexandria, second-biggest city in Egypt with ~ 5.2 million residents (in 2018)

Client: Alexandria Sanitary Drainage Company (ASDC) and Ministry of Housing Utilities & Urban Communities (End User)

System / Area of application: Wastewater Plant

Used products:
Sewatec SPN 900-1100 / G1 – VGW pumps

Duration of the project:
Delivery time ~ nine months 
Installation, start-up and commissioning on-site additional six months