Louise Sallé, edited by Ophélie Artaud 09:24, August 22, 2022
While the drought affects a large part of the country and water is scarce in places, a company in Bonneuil has developed a technology to recycle wastewater without using chemical reagents, using UV rays.
The decontaminated water is reused for industrial needs, to limit the use of drinking water.
Artificial rain firing rockets into the clouds.
It's the amazing Chinese solution to getting more water.
In France too, a more modest idea is gaining ground: recycling wastewater.
A company has developed a technology that uses UV rays, that is to say without chemical reagents.
Europe 1 went to Bonneuil, in Val-d'Oise, for a small demonstration.
More than 50,000 cubic meters of water flow through this treatment plant every day.
Water reused for industrial needs
"The treatment is finished. The water is clear and it is this water that will be recovered to produce industrial water", explains Guillaume Lenglet, the plant manager.
A small part of the treated water enters a stainless steel cylinder.
Willy Fortunato is the director of UV Germi, the company behind this technological gem.
"It is illuminated by UV light and when it comes out, it is totally decontaminated in viruses, bacteria, protozoa. All the biology found in wastewater. There is no risk of a lack of chemicals, overdose or underdose”, he assures.
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This water is reused for industrial needs, in particular "for washing the floors, for everything related to the preparation of polymers and other units on site to limit the consumption of drinking water", continues Guillaume Lenglet.
An investment of a few hundred thousand euros, quickly profitable, says Willy Fortunato.
“And this device saves 2,000 cubic meters of water per day, or between 8,000 and 10,000 euros saved per day. Our closest Italian, Portuguese and Spanish neighbors reuse more than 15% of their treated wastewater. less than 1% in France and we can clearly see the margin of progress that we must overcome. Water is so precious that it must be reused several times."
>> READ ALSO - Drought: recycling wastewater, "a method that should be used much more"
UV technology is beginning to be used in France by individuals, municipalities for bathing water, farmers and industrialists such as paper manufacturers.