Scientific chronicle: High-performance processes: how far can we go with regard to water treatment?
Veolia Environnement has just opened a testing hall in Annet-sur-Marne, including pilot processes for the testing and optimization of membrane-based drinking water production processes developed in R&D.
Download the Scientific chronicle supplement "High-performance processes: how far can we go with regard to water treatment?" (pdf - 650 ko)
With this new investment, the Company is increasing its effort to develop high-performance treatment processes. The objectives :
- Lowering the organic matter,
- reducing the disadvantages of chlorination, notably with regard to water taste and detrimental by-products
- and controlling emerging health risks
Within the context of the French national Conference on the Environment, the search for technological efficiency is accompanied by energy and environmental footprint assessment in order to select the most viable processes.
Video
Philippe Bréant (Veolia Environnement's Water research Center) answers to Marie-Odile Monchicourt (scientific journalist at France Info).
Location: Halle test Annet-sur-Marne (France)
3 major news in the video: a survey investigation by Marie-Odile Monchicourt (scientific journalist at France Info), a micro-sidewalk and patterns 3D explanatory
Click on the screen to launch the video
In this magazine
Philippe Bréant answers Marie-Odile Monchicourt
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Interview
Philippe Bréant, Veolia Environnement's Water research Center.
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Technologies
Opaline: a combination of technologies
Patented by Veolia Environnement, the Opaline brand includes high-performance water treatment processes combining ultrafiltration membranes with an adsorbent - activated carbon or ion-exchange resin (polymer). Combining several treatment systems, they are known as hybrid processes.
Nanofiltration or low-pressure reverse osmosis: a radical barrier
The nanofiltration process operates using membranes with an extremely fine "mesh" (0.001 micron). Used to produce drinking water, it puts up a virtually insurmountable physical barrier to unwanted elements: organic matter, viruses, bacteria, parasites, sulfates, nitrates, pesticides, emerging pollutants. This is the most efficient surface water treatment system, providing maximum health safety and taste quality. Depending on the organic micropollutants which must be eliminated, reverse osmosis membranes, with an even finer mesh, can be used.
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Research program
In Annet-sur-Marne, a concentration of high-performance processes.
In September 2007, Veolia Environnement inaugurated a 1,000 m2 testing hall near the Annet-sur-Marne drinking water plant. Dedicated to research on high-performance drinking water treatment processes, it combines twenty pilots used for several research projects..
The AWWA takes an interest in the Opaline process.
In Indianapolis, Veolia Water is testing one of the Opaline processes with a view to adapting it to local water characteristics as well as US drinkability standards. This development is part of an R&D project conducted by the American Water Works Association, which unites the USA's main players from the drinking water sector. -
3 questions for...
Abdelkader Gaïd, Veolia Water's Technical Division.
Virtual tour: Annet-sur-Marne facility
Water treatment plant
The Annet-sur-Marne water treatment plant produces, on average, 105,000 cubic meters of water per day.