Wusong, China

Keeping Up with the Times – Wusong’s Upgrade!

With a population growth of 24 million, Shanghai is truly the pinnacle of a 21st century city.  However, accelerated urbanization rates pose significant challenges in the design and utilization of water and wastewater facilities. Older wastewater treatment facilities must be upgraded to cope with stricter discharge limits, as well as increased capacities. The Wusong facility, capable of treating wastewater production of 70 thousand households, is a good example of what is happening city-wide.  Wusong is located in a densely populated area where the water quality limits have become stricter (effluent limits to Class 1B.) The facility was upgraded with a conventional activated sludge technology, but due to the heavy loads on this plant, it could not function properly, resulting in odor issues and improper phosphate removal. All while neighborhoods encroached ever-closer to the site.

The Wusong plant was designed and constructed in 1988, with an upgrade to the facility of 40 thousand m3/d capacity taking place in 2006. With Shanghai’s city challenges of urbanization and the upgrade to stricter water standards, Organica Water had a more feasible solution.

Organica was able to design a facility which can suitably treat the influent flow of 40 thousand m3/d, without sacrificing additional land, while also being able to easily reach the new discharge water standards. With its small footprint and low operational expenses, the Organica FCR efficently solves the challenges presented by the situation at Wusong, while creating a facility similar to a botanical garden. By doing this, the garden-like facility removes the impacts that the existing facility had on the surrounding environment. The city of Shanghai is currently being faced with environmental issues and public challenges in the upgrading of their aging wastewater treatment facilities. Organica’s fully equipped capabilities in upgrading these facilities are currently aiding in the effort to solve the upcoming obstacles that Shanghai is being faced with during production. These capabilities and help from Organica are helping to turn Shanghai into a truly sustainable metropolis.