Antwerp chemistry tests reuse of wastewater
Chemical companies in the Port of Antwerp are testing a facility that converts wastewater into process water. This is part of their efforts to make the port resilient against drought.
Antwerp chemical companies take new step in the reuse of wastewater
Chemical companies in the Port of Antwerp began using a demo installation in February, marking an important step towards circular water usage. At the TotalEnergies site, the installation is being tested for six months to see how it can convert purified wastewater into high-quality process water for the industry. With the CHERISH2O project, the companies aim to make the port more resilient to drought.
Demo installation for wastewater
The demo installation has a purification capacity of 1.5 m³ per hour and treats the wastewater streams from five chemical companies, divided into two clusters: BASF, Bayer, and Evonik in the northern part of the port, and ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies in the southern part. In the long term, twelve chemical companies can use the produced process water.
How do chemical companies test water reuse?
p>In the first phase, the project team tests the wastewater streams from both clusters separately. This allows them to see how mixed streams react to the purification process. In the next phase, they treat the two clusters together to evaluate to what extent joint purification and reuse are technically and operationally feasible.
Aiming for circular water consumption in the industry is a permanent objective for TotalEnergies. We are therefore pleased that this demo installation is being tested at our refinery site for the benefitof the Antwerp industry.
Ann Veraverbeke, Managing Director TotalEnergies Antwerp
Water reuse in the Port of Antwerp
The project provides valuable insights into the technical reliability of shared, circular
water networks. Additionally, it demonstrates the potential these networks offer for the chemical industry in the port. The results form an important basis for broader implementation of wastewater reuse in the Port of Antwerp and beyond.
The CHERISH2O Project
The demo installation is part of the ongoing CHERISH2O project (CHEmical industry water Reuse In a Sustainable Harbour). This two-year project started in September 2024 and investigates how chemical companies in the port environment can collaboratively upgrade and reuse purified wastewater.
The project team consists of VITO, essenscia, Antea Group, VMM and Port of Antwerp-Bruges, in collaboration with different chemical companies in Antwerp (Lanxess, INEOS, ExxonMobil, Evonik, Envalior, Borealis, Bayer, BASF, 3M, TotalEnergies, Monument Chemicals and Ashland).
