The Saur Group has renewed its €24 million contract with the Sewerage Board of Nicosia to operate the Vathia-Gonia wastewater treatment plant in Nicosia, capital of the Republic of Cyprus. Under the terms of the contract, the Group will continue to operate the plant for an additional ten years.
The Vathia-Gonia wastewater treatment plant is the largest operated by the Saur Group using membrane filtration technology, and the first designed in Europe to reuse all its treated water for agricultural irrigation.
Commissioned in 2010, the Vathia-Gonia wastewater treatment plant has a daily processing capacity of 22,000 m³ per day, serves 120,000 population equivalent, and was designed and built by Stereau, the engineering company of the Saur Group and our Cypriot partner, Iacovou Group, specialized in Civil Engineering. In 2007, the Group was also awarded a comprehensive contract covering plant design, construction and operation. Now extended for a further ten years period, the renewed contract also includes implementation of a large-scale equipment upgrading and renewal program.
The Vathia-Gonia wastewater treatment plant is the largest Saur Group facility to use membrane technology to filter wastewater. It uses the Aqua-RM® treatment process patented by the Saur Group, as well as ultraviolet disinfection technology. These processes produce treated water of exceptionally high quality. The membranes used also act as a physical barrier to viruses, bacteria and suspended solids. Working at the forefront of water resource conservation, the Saur Group has focused a great deal of expertise on developing this membrane technology, which is perfectly relevant to protecting sensitive environments and to enable the reuse of treated wastewater.
The Vathia-Gonia wastewater treatment plant is the largest Saur Group facility to use membrane technology to filter wastewater
Setting the European benchmark for treated wastewater reuse
This partnership enables conservation of water resources on an island that suffers very significantly from drought. In the absence of natural water reserves, and after several years of chronic drought, the high level of water deficit experienced by Cyprus is further exacerbated by seasonal tourist inflows, because this island attracts some 4 million tourists every year. The membrane filtration technology used here saves significant quantities of drinking water by enabling the reuse of treated wastewater. It’s a solution that relieves the pressure for water imposed by agriculture, which accounts for 70% of the island’s drinking water demand.
The renewal of this contract reflects the strong commercial performance of Saur in regions subject to high levels of water stress. It also evidences the excellent working relationship between the Saur Group and the Sewerage Board of Nicosia, and the quality of service delivered by the Group between 2010 and 2021.
Patrick Blethon, Executive Chairman of the Saur Group:
“I’m delighted that this contract has been renewed, because it highlights the trust-based relationship we have built with the Sewerage Board of Nicosia. It also showcases our commitment to offering alternative solutions for the sustainable management of water resources for all users in all markets. As we tackle the challenges of climate change and resource scarcity, the implementation of adaptation strategies is now essential, particularly in areas that suffer from water stress. Reusing treated and purified wastewater is a significant advance that we will continue to develop”.
